Heist
/haɪst/noun
A robbery or theft, especially one planned in advance.
Did you know?The word heist is first recorded in American English in the 19th century as criminal slang, and its exact origin is uncertain, which makes it a true linguistic shadow-word.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hais- / *haisjan
“to lift, raise, or drive up”
Old English
OE
hēan / hīesan
“to urge on, hasten, or drive”
Middle English
ME
hesten / hise
“to hurry or press forward”
19th Century
English
heist
“thief's slang for a robbery or stealing action”
Modern English
English
heist
“a planned robbery, especially a dramatic or large-scale one”