Fraud
/frɔːd/noun
Deception practiced for gain or to induce another to act to their disadvantage.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin fraudem, tied to the same ancient root as words for breaking trust and acting deceptively, so the idea of fraud was literally built into Roman law and morality.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhrū-
“to deceive or cheat”
Latin
Latin
fraus, fraudis
“deceit, injury, harm, cheating”
Late Latin
Latin
fraudem
“deceit, fraud”
Old French
Old French
fraude
“deceit, trickery”
Middle English
English
fraude
“deceit, trickery”
Modern English
English
fraud
“deception practiced for gain”