Added 9 October 2026
confiscate
/ˈkɒnfɪskeɪt/ verb
In Latin: auferō, cōnfiscō, pūblicō Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about confiscate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
To use one's authority to lay claim to and separate a possession from its holder.
In schools, it is common for teachers to confiscate electronic games and other distractions.
adjective
- Confiscated; seized and appropriated by the government for public use; forfeit.
Origin
Borrowed from Latin cōnfiscātus, the perfect passive participle of Latin cōnfiscō (“to seize for the public treasury (fiscus)”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)