defalcation

C2 Topic:Money & Finance

US /ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/ UK /ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #1318961

Meanings

1

noun
law: intentional or reckless misuse of money or property entrusted to one's care

The trustee was removed after an audit uncovered a serious defalcation.
2

noun
historical: a deduction, reduction, or shortfall, especially in revenue or an account

Fraudulent drawbacks caused a substantial defalcation of customs revenue.
3

noun
a failure to meet a duty, promise, or expectation

The board treated the missed payments as a defalcation of the contractor's obligations.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · law: intentional or... misappropriationembezzlementbreach of trust

2 noun · historical: a deduction,... shortfall deduction reduction

3 noun · a failure to meet a duty,... default failure

Opposites

restitution fulfillment payment

Word family

Derived forms defalcatedefalcator

Related forms fiduciarybreach of trustrevenue

Etymology

From Medieval Latin defalcatio, 'cutting off or deduction,' from defalcare, based on Latin falx, 'sickle.' The early sense was a cutting down of an amount; the later legal sense concerns money missing through a fiduciary's misuse.

Topics

Money & Finance Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# defalcation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 1318961

## Meanings
1. law: intentional or reckless misuse of money or property entrusted to one's care
2. historical: a deduction, reduction, or shortfall, especially in revenue or an account
3. a failure to meet a duty, promise, or expectation

## Examples
- The trustee was removed after an audit uncovered a serious defalcation.
- Fraudulent drawbacks caused a substantial defalcation of customs revenue.
- The board treated the missed payments as a defalcation of the contractor's obligations.

## Synonyms
- misappropriation
- embezzlement
- shortfall
- deduction
- default

## Antonyms
- restitution
- fulfillment
- payment

## Derived Forms
- defalcate
- defalcator

## Related Forms
- fiduciary
- breach of trust
- revenue

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin defalcatio, 'cutting off or deduction,' from defalcare, based on Latin falx, 'sickle.' The early sense was a cutting down of an amount; the later legal sense concerns money missing through a fiduciary's misuse.

## Topics
- Money & Finance
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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