ravin

noun

rav·in ˈra-vən

: plunder, pillage

: an act or habit of preying

: something seized as prey

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ravyn, ravine, raveyn, raven "robbery, seizure of a woman, rapacity, booty, prey of an animal," borrowed from Anglo-French ravine, raveyn "robbery, violent seizure of property, rapacity, stolen property, strong water current," going back to Latin rapīna "forcible carrying off of property, seizure and carrying off of a woman" — more at rapine

Note: As noted by Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, the literal meaning of Latin rapīna was carried over into Anglo-French and Picard, but not elsewhere in Gallo-Romance, where the etymon had the sense "violent motion, momentum"; for a further development see ravine.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of ravin was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century