petty larceny
3
6.9
- noun
- /ˈpɛti ˈlɑrsəni/
- Formal
:
hurto menor
- The judge sentenced him to community service for his petty larceny conviction involving stolen groceries.
- charged with petty larceny
Examples
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He had previous convictions for petty larceny and damage to property.
Fiction book (1993) -
She was arrested for petty larceny when she took some items from the shop without paying.
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There was a justice system here, and probably, after all, he had committed this petty larceny.
Blog text (6) -
The only problem is, when and if I do find Nancy, looks like she might be facing some petty larceny charges.
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Their plan is to take the cash and split for Tallahassee, where they will start fresh and leave the life of petty larceny.
Blog text (32) -
I learned he had been picked up for petty larceny, and that his bail was set at $2,500.
Blog text (6) -
He was found guilty of stealing the hide and the bones only... which were valued at $18... making his crime petty larceny.
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Clovis Michael Poplin has four petty larcenies, two illegal entries and a conviction on burglary.
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Lou Jean Sparrow Poplin has two shopliftings and a conviction on petty larceny, for which she did eight months.
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The store owner reported the thief to the police for committing petty larceny after he stole a candy bar.
Synonyms
133
6.0
A small crime that is less serious than a major crime
45
7.2
Stealing something that belongs to someone else to keep it
1
7.5
Stealing small items from a store or workplace, often done repeatedly
A crime of stealing small items worth little money
Antonyms
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'petty' (minor, of little consequence) combined with 'larceny' (theft) yields 'minor/theft of low-value property'. Although 'larceny' is a legal term and somewhat formal, its contribution to the compound is straightforward, so a learner who knows both words can infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Petty larceny comes from two older words: petty meaning 'small' and larceny meaning 'theft' in old law. So the phrase gives the picture of a 'small theft', and today petty larceny means stealing items of low value and is treated as a minor crime.