What does purloining mean?
Purloining means taking something that belongs to someone else without permission, usually in a quiet or secret way. Its distinctive quality is its slightly old-fashioned, literary tone: saying that someone has been “caught purloining the silver” is more colorful and playful than simply saying that they were stealing it. The word can describe both trivial acts, such as taking a colleague’s pen, and serious misconduct, such as removing confidential records or stealing valuable property. “Purloining” is the present-participle form of “purloin” and normally appears in sentences describing an action in progress, as in “He was caught purloining keys from the hotel desk.” Although now often used humorously, it can carry a formal or accusatory tone when applied to unlawful conduct. It is a precise and memorable alternative to the plainer word “stealing.”
verbTo steal or take something without the owner's permission, especially in a stealthy or surreptitious manner.
- To steal or take something without permission, especially in a stealthy or surreptitious manner.
"The thief was caught purloining confidential documents from the office."
"Security footage showed someone purloining merchandise from the shop after closing time."
"The story humorously describes the rival as purloining the author's best ideas."
Once an ordinary word for taking something by stealth, “purloining” now lends an air of mock elegance to an act as common as petty theft.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does purloining come from?
The word comes from Middle English purloinen, which was borrowed from Anglo-French purloigner, a word meaning to steal. The verb entered English in a context of theft and continued to emphasize taking property by stealth. Its present use preserves both the older word's literary character and the long-standing association with covert acquisition.
Related word forms
How purloining is actually used
The word has a literary and often humorous or ironic tone. In contemporary use it is frequently an elaborate euphemism for stealing, whether the act is trivial or serious.