— peculation , n. — peculator , n.
/pek"yeuh layt'/ , v.t., v.i., peculated, peculating .
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
[ 1740-50; v. use of peculate embezzlement (now obs.) peculatus, equiv. to pecula ( ri ) to embezzle, lit., to make public property private + -tus suffix of v. action. See PECULIAR, -ATE 1 ]