Definition of EMBEZZLE

embezzle

Verb

  • appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
    • "The accountant embezzled thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family"
  • To steal or misappropriate money that one has been trusted with, especially to steal money from the organisation for which one works.
  • -ZLED, -ZLING, -ZLES to appropriate fraudulently to one's own use

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English embesilen, from Anglo-Norman embesiler, embesillier, embeseillier (“to steal, cause to disappear”), from em- + Old French besillier (“to torment, destroy, gouge”), of unknown origin.

Synonyms

defalcate, malversate, misappropriate, peculate, have one's hand in the till

Scrabble Score: 30

embezzle: valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
embezzle: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
embezzle: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 33

embezzle is a valid Words With Friends word