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DictionarylarcenyTheft
noun

larceny

LAR-suh-nee/ˈlɑːrsəni/

The unlawful taking of someone else's personal property.

Taking the wallet from another person's bag is larceny.

An older man furtively takes a wallet from the open shoulder bag of a distracted middle-aged man seated beside him on a simple public bench, making the taking of another person's property clear without violence.
Etymology
larcenyLatinrobbery, banditry

Latin latrocinium referred to robbery, including highway robbery and piracy. In English, larceny became a legal term for the wrongful taking of another person’s personal goods.

In context

Criminology Guides0:25
theft sometimes known as larceny petty theft grand theft
Difference between Theft, Robbery, and Burglary

More examples

  • The suspect faced a larceny charge.
  • The report described several larcenies.
  • They investigated the alleged larceny.

Forms

larceny · larcenies

Similar words

theft
The broader everyday term for unlawful taking.
robbery
Usually involves force or threat against a person.