🚰 Liquid flow in pipes 💸 Secret transfer

siphonage

9.9

Illegally moving money or goods to use for yourself

noun
/ˈsaɪfənɪdʒ/

: desvío

The investigation revealed siphonage of public funds by several officials.

Examples

Strict controls were put in place to prevent siphonage of company resources.
He was arrested for his role in the siphonage of valuable equipment from the warehouse.
The company faced allegations of siphonage of funds.
Many politicians have been accused of siphonage.
The investigation revealed siphonage of public funds by several officials.
Strict controls were put in place to prevent siphonage of company resources.
He was arrested for his role in the siphonage of valuable equipment from the warehouse.

Synonyms

embezzlement

vssiphonage

27 7.0

Taking money or goods that someone gave you to look after and using them for yourself

moves money or goods secretly not only from entrusted sources

How Illicit

embezzlement

27 7.0

misappropriation

Formal

5 8.6

siphonage

9.9

diversion

13 5.2

reallocation

4 5.5

Surface Forms

siphonage singular

siphonages plural

Morphology

siphonage = siphon (semi-transparent) = siphon + age

The financial meaning is a metaphorical extension of the physical act of siphoning, so the derivation is clear but figurative.

Etymology

Siphonage uses the same idea: siphon is a 'tube' and -age makes it an action, so a helpful image is money being secretly pulled through an invisible tube. That's why siphonage can mean the secret or illegal transfer of money or goods.