loot

¹

[ loot ]

noun

1. spoils or plunder taken by pillaging, as in war.

   Synonyms: booty

2. anything taken by dishonesty, force, stealth, etc.:

   a burglar's loot.

3. a collection of valued objects:

   The children shouted and laughed as they opened their Christmas loot.

4. Slang. money:

   You'll have a fine time spending all that loot.

5. the act of looting or plundering:

   to take part in the loot of a conquered city.

6. (in a video game) valuable items that can be claimed from a defeated enemy or cache:

   I was hoping for new armor, but this loot was pretty disappointing.

verb (used with object)

1. to carry off or take (something) as loot:

   to loot a nation's art treasures.

2. to despoil by taking loot; plunder or pillage (a city, house, etc.), as in war:

   The invaders looted temples and shrines.

   Synonyms: ransack, sack

3. to rob, as by burglary or corrupt activity in public office:

   to loot the public treasury.

4. (in a video game) to collect (items from a defeated enemy or cache):

   Loot all of the bodies and treasure chests before you exit the dungeon.

verb (used without object)

1. to take loot; plunder:

   The conquerors looted and robbed.

loot

²

[ loot ]

verb

, Scot.

1. simple past tense of let ¹.

loot

/ luːt /

noun

1. goods stolen during pillaging, as in wartime, during riots, etc
2. goods, money, etc, obtained illegally
3. informal.
   money or wealth
4. the act of looting or plundering

verb

1. to pillage (a city, settlement, etc) during war or riots
2. to steal (money or goods), esp during pillaging

Derived Forms

• ˈlooter, noun

Other Words From

• looter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of loot¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from Hindi lūṭ, from Sanskrit lotra, loptra “booty, spoil”

Word History and Origins

Origin of loot¹

C19: from Hindi lūt

Example Sentences

The lack of Champions League loot, again, will have what they call a "significant impact".

From BBC

They have £77m in the bank with even more Champions League loot to add.

From BBC

“The corrupt judges, ministers, justices ... continue defending foreign companies that come to loot, rob and affect the economy of the Mexican people,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

After a sign-loaded Wednesday night at the DNC, delegates gathered in an elevator at the Hyatt Regency Hotel discussed whether they could stuff their signage loot into carryon luggage for their airplane flight home.

From Los Angeles Times

Per Deadline, Rudolph moved production of the third season of her Apple TV+ series “Loot” to January from August in order to play Harris through this year’s election cycle.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• booty
• spoils