rape

noun \ ˈrāp \

Updated on: 28 Feb 2018

Definition of rape

1 : unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against a person's will or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent because of mental illness, mental deficiency, intoxication, unconsciousness, or deception — compare sexual assault, statutory rape

2 : an outrageous violation

3 : an act or instance of robbing or despoiling or carrying away a person by force

First Known Use of rape

14th century

Other Agriculture/Gardening Terms

fallow, graft, heirloom, loam, potash, soilage, swath, tilth, windfall

rape

verb

Definition of rape

raped; raping

transitive verb

1 : to commit rape on

2 a : despoil

b archaic : to seize and take away by force

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raper

noun

—

rapist

play \ˈrā-pist\ noun

See rape defined for English-language learners

Examples of rape in a Sentence

He is accused of raping the girl.
She was raped by a fellow student.

Origin and Etymology of rape

Middle English, from Latin rapere

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

rape Synonyms

Synonyms

assault;

Related Words

molest;

defile, violate;

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

rape

noun

Definition of rape

: an Old World herb (Brassica napus) of the mustard family grown as a forage crop and for its seeds which yield rapeseed oil and are a bird food — compare canola

Origin and Etymology of rape

Middle English, "turnip, Brassica napus," borrowed from Latin rāpa, rāpum "turnip"; akin to Germanic *rōbjōn- "turnip" (whence Middle Dutch & Middle Low German rove, Old High German ruoba, ruoppa), Lithuanian rópė, Greek rháphys, rhápys (all going back to an earlier *rāp(h)-), Church Slavic (eastern) rěpa, Polish rzepa (going back to *rēp-), Welsh erfin "turnips, rape," Breton irvin (going back to *arb-īno-, perhaps metathesized from *rab-), all from a substratal pre-Indo-European word of uncertain form

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

rape

noun

Definition of rape

: the pomace of grapes left after expression of the juice

Origin and Etymology of rape

French râpe grape stalk

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First Known Use: 1657

See Words from the same year

RAPE Defined for Kids

rape

noun \ ˈrāp \

Definition of rape for Students

: a plant related to the mustard that is grown for animals to graze on, for its seeds which are fed to birds, and as a source of oil

rape

verb

Definition of rape for Students

raped; raping

: to have sexual intercourse with by force

rape

noun

Definition of rape for Students

: the crime of forcing someone to have sexual intercourse

Medical Dictionary

rape

noun \ ˈrāp \

medical Definition of rape

: a European herb (Brassica napus) of the mustard family grown as a forage crop and for its seeds which yield rapeseed oil and are a bird food — see canola 1

rape

transitive verb

medical Definition of rape

raped; raping

: to commit rape on

rape

noun

medical Definition of rape

: unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent — compare sexual assault, statutory rape

Law Dictionary

rape

transitive verb

legal Definition of rape

raped; raping

: to commit rape on

—

raper

noun

—

rapist

noun

Origin and Etymology of rape

Latin rapere to seize and take away by force

rape

noun

legal Definition of rape

Note: The common-law crime of rape involved a man having carnal knowledge of a woman not his wife through force and against her will, and required at least slight penetration of the penis into the vagina. While some states maintain essentially this definition of rape, most have broadened its scope especially in terms of the sex of the persons and the nature of the acts involved. Marital status is usually irrelevant. Moreover, the crime is codified under various names, including first degree sexual assault sexual battery unlawful sexual intercourse, and first degree sexual abuse.