robbery

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*Hrew-?
2. Proto-Indo-European*Hrewp-
3. Proto-Germanic*raubōną
4. Frankish*raubōn
5. Late Latinraubāre
6. Old Frenchrober
7. Old Frenchroberie
8. Middle Englishrobberie
9. English todayrobbery

From Middle English robberie, robry, roberie, from Old French roberie, from the verb rober (“to steal; to pillage”) + -ie. Ultimately from unattested Frankish *raubōn. By surface analysis, rob + -ery. Compare Dutch roverij (“robbery”), Norwegian Bokmål røveri (“robbery”), German Räuberei (“robbery, banditry”). Displaced native Old English rēaflāc.

Words from the same roots