Defraud
/dɪˈfrɔːd/noun
To illegally or dishonestly deprive someone of money, property, or a right.
Did you know?The word comes from Old French and Latin roots tied to fraud and deception, showing how languages have long encoded the idea that lies can be a form of taking.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
Latin
defraudare
“to cheat, deprive, or swindle”
Old French
Old French
defrauder
“to defraud, rob by deceit”
Middle English
English
defrauden
“to cheat or deprive by deception”
Modern English
English
defraud
“to deprive someone of something by deceit or fraud”