SPOLIATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spoliation mean? 

• SPOLIATION (noun)
  The noun SPOLIATION has 2 senses:

1. (law) the intentional destruction of a document or an alteration of it that destroys its value as evidence

2. the act of stripping and taking by force

  Familiarity information: SPOLIATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPOLIATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(law) the intentional destruction of a document or an alteration of it that destroys its value as evidence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

destruction; devastation (the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Derivation:

spoil (alter from the original)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of stripping and taking by force

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

despoilation; despoilment; despoliation; spoil; spoilation; spoliation

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

pillage; pillaging; plundering (the act of stealing valuable things from a place)

Derivation:

spoil (destroy and strip of its possession)