PECULATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does peculation mean? 

• PECULATION (noun)
  The noun PECULATION has 1 sense:

1. the fraudulent appropriation of funds or property entrusted to your care but actually owned by someone else

  Familiarity information: PECULATION used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PECULATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The fraudulent appropriation of funds or property entrusted to your care but actually owned by someone else

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

defalcation; embezzlement; misapplication; misappropriation; peculation

Hypernyms ("peculation" is a kind of...):

larceny; stealing; theft; thievery; thieving (the act of taking something from someone unlawfully)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "peculation"):

raid (an attempt by speculators to defraud investors)

plunderage (the act of plundering (especially the embezzlement of goods on shipboard))

Derivation:

peculate (appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use)