burglar

noun

bur·​glar ˈbər-glər 

 also  -gə-lər

: one who commits burglary

Examples of burglar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Security cameras showed one of the burglars crawling on his stomach through the candy store before cutting through both concrete and a thick safe, stealing more than $2 million in cash and jewelry. —Doc Louallen, ABC News, 6 June 2025

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed with Fox News Digital that the hooded burglars stole approximately $2,000 to $3,000 worth of merchandise from the cannabis storefront before fleeing. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025

Glass is a human invention, and its breakage is inevitably associated with human violence or a human accident: a burglar’s incursion, a child’s wayward baseball, a pogrom. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025

Authorities are searching for burglars who hit a high-end sneaker shop hours before its doors opened, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. —Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French burgler, from Medieval Latin burglator, probably alteration of burgator, from burgare to commit burglary

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing burglar

• anti-burglar
• burglar alarm
• cat burglar

Kids Definition

burglar

noun

bur·​glar ˈbər-glər 

: a person who commits burglary

Legal Definition

burglar

noun

bur·​glar ˈbər-glər 

: a person who commits a burglary