thief

[theef]

noun

plural

thieves 

1. a person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.

   Synonyms: highwayman, pickpocket, burglar

thief

/ θiːf /

noun

1. a person who steals something from another

2. criminal law a person who commits theft

Other Word Forms

• thievishness noun
• thievishly adverb
• thievish adjective
• underthief noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of thief¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English thēof; cognate with Dutch dief, German Dieb, Old Norse thjōfr, Gothic thiufs

Word History and Origins

Origin of thief¹

Old English thēof; related to Old Frisian thiāf, Old Saxon thiof, Old High German diob, Old Norse thjōfr, Gothic thiufs

Synonym Study

Thief, robber refer to one who steals. A thief takes the goods or property of another by stealth without the latter's knowledge: like a thief in the night. A robber trespasses upon the house, property, or person of another, and makes away with things of value, even at the cost of violence: A robber held up two women on the street.

Example Sentences

Shared exclusively with the BBC, they show Bowie's fascination with the development of art and satire in 18th Century London, alongside stories of criminal gangs and the notorious thief "Honest" Jack Sheppard.

From BBC

A primary school has not reopened for the new term after thieves stole pipes leaving the site without water.

From BBC

He said the operation - which sees shops team up with police to catch alleged thieves - targets repeat offenders as well as those who use violence and threats when stealing.

From BBC

Celestinia Bishop, the owner, said the thefts were discovered Thursday but she said she believes the thieves broke into the cemetery the night before and took the headstones for the bronze and copper plaques.

From Los Angeles Times

Just as Halimi had worried, they accused him of being a thief and traitor, which could be like a death sentence for anyone connected to him back home.

From Salon

Related Words

• bandit 
• burglar 
• criminal 
• crook 
• mugger 
• pickpocket 
• pirate 
• robber 
• sniper 
• swindler 

When To Use

What does thief mean?

A thief is a person who steals, especially in secret and without using force or violence.The plural of thief is thieves. The related noun theft refers to the act or an instance of stealing.In general, intentionally taking something that doesn’t belong to you makes you a thief. The word most commonly refers to a person who steals money or physical property, but a thief can steal other things, such as ideas, information, or intellectual property.The word thief typically refers to a person who steals without anyone noticing, at least not when the theft is taking place. In contrast, a person who steals by using force, violence, or threats of force or violence would more likely be called a robber. Still, the word thief is used generally to refer to someone who steals. In this way, a robber is a kind of thief.Most instances of theft are crimes, but a person might still be called a thief if they’ve committed a theft that won’t get them arrested. You might call your sibling a thief when they steal a cookie from your plate, for example.Example: I don’t care that he only stole a few things—he stole them, and that makes him a thief.