ShortMeaning, pronunciation & vowel sounds
Larceny Meaning & Pronunciation
/ˈlɑrsəni/ · noun
Larceny is the legal term for theft: the unlawful taking of another person's property with the intent to keep it permanently.
How to say it
How to pronounce larceny
larceny
The vowel breakdown
Vowel sounds in larceny
Each vowel sound below shows the letters that spell it, the sound they make, and the phonics pattern behind it.
Ar makes the /ɑr/ sound of car and star, in the stressed first syllable.
Practise this pattern →C says /s/ before e, i, or y. The e here is a weak /ə/ in an unstressed syllable.
Practise this pattern →Definition
What does larceny mean?
The unlawful taking of another person's personal property with the intent to deprive them of it; theft.
“He was charged with larceny after taking tools from his neighbor's shed.”
In many US states, theft is graded as petty larceny or grand larceny depending on the value of the property.
“Stealing a car is usually treated as grand larceny.”
Word forms: larceny · larcenies (plural) · larcenous (adjective)
Exact legal definitions and the dollar thresholds for petty and grand larceny vary by state and country.
Where it comes from
Origin of larceny
Larceny comes from Anglo-French larcin, from Latin latrocinium, meaning robbery or plunder, which is related to latro, a robber or bandit.
Similar words
Frequently asked questions
What does larceny mean?
Larceny is the legal term for theft: unlawfully taking someone else's personal property with the intent to keep it permanently.
How do you pronounce larceny?
Larceny is pronounced /ˈlɑrsəni/, or LAR-suh-nee. The c is a soft c, so it says /s/, not /k/.
What is the difference between larceny, robbery, and burglary?
Larceny is taking property. Robbery involves force or the threat of force against a person. Burglary is unlawfully entering a building to commit a crime. Definitions vary by jurisdiction.
What is the difference between petty and grand larceny?
They are categories based on the value of what was taken. Grand larceny involves property above a set value, and petty larceny involves less. The threshold differs by state.