burglary
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbɝɡɫɝi// UK //bˈɜːɡləɹi// bur·glary
n. the crime of breaking into a building to steal things. It usually happens when no one is inside.
n. the act of entering a building illegally with intent to commit a crime, typically theft. Distinct from robbery, which involves force or threat against a person.
The police investigated the burglary at the house.
They installed a security system after the burglary last winter.
The burglary was solved quickly because the suspect left fingerprints on the window frame.
From New Latin burglaria. Equivalent to burglar + -y. Displaced native Old English hūsbryċe (literally “house-breach”).