Confiscated Meaning and Definition
Confiscated
Pronunciation
/ˌkɒnˌfɪskəˈteɪd/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A thing taken or seized as a penalty or sanction, typically for an offense or wrongdoing, often by a government or authority.
Examples
- The customs officer confiscated the illegal drugs at the border.
- The government confiscated the land to build a new highway.
Synonyms
- Searched
- Seized
Antonyms
- Released
- Returned
Etymology
The word “confiscated” comes from the Latin “confiscare,” meaning “to seize as one’s own.” This verb is a combination of “con-” (meaning “together” or “with”) and “fiscus,” the Latin word for “public treasury.”
Usage Notes
In its strictest sense, “confiscated” refers to the act of taking something away from someone as a punishment or penal consequence. However, it is often used more broadly to describe any instance of something being taken or seized.
Cultural References
In popular culture, “confiscated” has appeared in films like “Casablanca” (1942) and “The Italian Job” (1969), where characters’ possessions are taken away from them.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
Phrases like “confiscate the profits” and “confiscate the rights” are used to convey the idea of taking something away, often in a formal or official context.
Related Words or Phrases
Words like “seized,” “stolen,” and “taken” are closely related to “confiscated.”
Collocations
Common collocations with “confiscated” include “confiscated goods,” “confiscated property,” and “confiscated funds.”
Frequency of Use
The word “confiscated” is not as commonly used in modern language as other words in its category, but it is still a useful term in formal and official contexts.
Common Misspellings
Some common misspellings of “confiscated” include “confisicated,” “confisated,” and “confisdicated.”