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  1. spoils or plunder taken by pillaging, as in war.
  2. anything taken by dishonesty, force, stealth, etc.: a burglar's loot.
  4. Slang. money: You'll have a fine time spending all that loot.
  5. act of looting or plundering: to take part in the loot of a conquered city.
verb (used with object)
  1. to carry off or take (something) as loot: to loot a nation's art treasures.
  2. to despoil by taking loot; plunder or pillage (a city, house, etc.), as in war.
  3. to rob, as by burglary or corrupt activity in public office: to loot the public treasury.
verb (used without object)
  1. to take loot; plunder: The conquerors looted and robbed.

Origin of loot1

1780–90; < Hindi lūṭ, akin to Sanskrit luṇṭhati (he) steals
Related formsloot·er, noun


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1. booty. 7. sack, ransack.

Examples from the Web for looters

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • There was a mad scramble as the looters raced for their ship.

    This One Problem

    M. C. Pease

  • In a few years the treasure will be exhausted, and the looters will depart.

    The Trail of '98

    Robert W. Service

  • That was what the women called it, and the name stuck and killed the looters.

  • I will see to it that my men guard this house from the looters till then.

  • G, were stored somewhere in Fairfax and to be left there as prey for looters.

    Company G

    A. R. (Albert Rowe) Barlow

British Dictionary definitions for looters


  1. goods stolen during pillaging, as in wartime, during riots, etc
  2. goods, money, etc, obtained illegally
  3. informal money or wealth
  4. the act of looting or plundering
  1. to pillage (a city, settlement, etc) during war or riots
  2. to steal (money or goods), esp during pillaging
Derived Formslooter, noun

Word Origin

C19: from Hindi lūt

Word Origin and History for looters



"goods taken from an enemy, etc.," 1788, Anglo-Indian, from Hindi lut, from Sanskrit loptram, lotram "booty, stolen property," from PIE *roup-tro-, from root *reup- "to snatch" (see rip (v.)). The verb is first attested 1821, from the noun. Related: Looted; looting.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper