Despoil
/dɪˈspɔɪl/noun
To strip of possessions, goods, or valuables; to plunder.
Did you know?The word 'despoil' is linked to ancient depictions of warfare where victors would strip the defeated of their treasures, symbolizing both physical and spiritual domination.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spol-
“to take or seize, often in a violent manner.”
Latin
Latin
despoliare
“to strip off, rob, plunder.”
Old French
Old French
despoillier
“to strip away, to deprive of property or possessions.”
Middle English
Middle English
despoilen
“to rob, to strip of goods, often with violence.”
Modern English
English
despoil
“to deprive of something valuable, especially through force or theft.”