A burglar is a person who breaks into a building, usually at night, to steal things. Unlike a robber, a burglar often tries to avoid meeting people while committing the crime.
From Anglo-Latin “burgulator,” from Medieval Latin “burgare,” “to break into a house,” likely from “burgus,” “fortified place” or “house.” The word has long connected breaking in with buildings.
“Burglar” is a building-focused word—you can almost hear “burg” (town) inside it. The law separates burglars from robbers because slipping into empty spaces is a different kind of threat than confronting people face-to-face.
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