US /dɪˈspɔɪl/ UK /dɪˈspɔɪl/
verb

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    to plunder or strip of possessions, valuables, or beauty by force

    Invading armies despoiled the temples of their golden ornaments.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to plunder or strip of... plunderpillageravagelootransackstripsack
Opposites
Word family
Forms despoiled
Derived forms despoilerdespoilmentdespoliation
Related forms spoilspoliationspoils

Etymology

From Old French despoillier, from Latin despoliare ('to plunder, rob'), from de- (intensive) + spoliare ('to strip, rob'), from spolium ('booty, hide stripped from an animal').

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