A master criminal or chief thief; the leader of a band of thieves.
From 'arch-' (chief) combined with 'thief' (from Old English 'þēof'). This term was used in literature and legal documents to denote the most dangerous or skilled thieves, particularly in medieval and Early Modern contexts.
Famous literary villains like Fagin from 'Oliver Twist' are basically archthieves—the term captures the idea of a criminal mastermind who orchestrates thefts. It shows how English gave titles even to outlaws!
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