larceny
LAR-suh-nee
/ˈlɑːrsəni/
The legal term for the wrongful taking and carrying away of personal property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it.
Larceny is the specific term used in courtrooms and legal documents. It is often divided into 'grand larceny' (high value) and 'petit larceny' (low value).
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'latrocinium', which referred to the service of mercenaries but later came to mean robbery or banditry. It entered English through the Old French 'larcin'.
Word relationships
- theft: The common, non-legal equivalent.
- pilfering: Specifically refers to larceny of small, cheap items.
- ownership: The legal right to possess something.
Commonly confused with
- embezzlement: Larceny is taking property you never had; embezzlement is stealing property you were trusted to hold.
Word family
- larcenous (adjective): Relating to or involving larceny.
- larcenist (noun): A person who commits larceny.
Collocations
- grand larceny
- petit larceny
- commit larceny
- larceny charges
Idioms & expressions
- larceny in one's heart
Example sentences
- "Grand larceny in the second degree is a class C felony in the state of New York." Legal Code (New York Penal Law)
- "The defendant was charged with larceny after he was found in possession of the stolen jewelry." Formal Report
Memory hook
Larceny is 'Larc-e' (large) scale theft in a court of law. The lawyer's word for theft.
When not to use
Avoid using larceny in casual conversation unless you want to sound like a lawyer or a police officer.
Fun facts
- The distinction between 'grand' and 'petit' larceny varies by state; in some places, the threshold is $500, in others, it is $2,000.
- Larceny is one of the oldest recognized crimes in English Common Law.
Explore more words
embezzlement, fraud, borrow, identity theft, defraud, seizure
Also appears in
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