/ ˈlɑːsəni; NAmE ˈlɑːrs-/ noun
[ U , C ] ( pl. -ies ) ( NAmE or old-fashioned , BrE ) ( law ) the crime of stealing sth from sb; an occasion when this takes place
SYN theft :
The couple were charged with grand / petty larceny (= stealing things that are valuable / not very valuable) .
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WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent.: from Old French larcin , from Latin latrocinium , from latro(n-) robber, earlier mercenary soldier, from Greek latreus .