robbery

From Middle English robberie, robry, roberie, from Old French roberie, from the verb rober (“to steal; to pillage”) + -ie. Ultimately from unattested Frankish *raubōn. By surface analysis, rob +‎ -ery. Compare Dutch roverij (“robbery”), Norwegian Bokmål røveri (“robbery”), German Räuberei (“robbery, banditry”).

Displaced native Old English rēaflāc.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɒbəɹi/, /ˈɹɒbɹi/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑbəɹi/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: rob‧bery

robbery (countable and uncountable, plural robberies)

1. The act or practice of robbing.
3. (crime) The offense of taking or attempting to take the property of another by force or threat of force.

   bank robbery

(attempt of taking the property of another by threat): larceny

• (attempt of taking the property of another by threat): piracy, armed robbery, aggravated robbery, highway robbery, mugging, carjacking, extortion, stick-up (slang), blagging (slang), steaming (slang), dacoity

• rob
• robber

robbery

1. alternative form of robberie