obreption

noun

ob·​rep·​tion

äˈbrepshən

plural -s

canon & Scots law

: the obtaining of or attempting to obtain a dispensation from ecclesiastical authority or a gift from the sovereign by fraud

—distinguished from subreption

Word History

Etymology

Latin obreption-, obreptio act of creeping upon, stealing upon, deceiving, from obreptus (past participle of obrepere to steal upon, surprise, deceive, from ob- to, toward, over + repere to creep) + -ion-, -io -ion

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!