A larcenist is etymologically a "hired man gone bad" — the word traces through Latin mercenary soldier to Greek for wages, reflecting ancient distrust of those who fight for money.
The unlawful taking of someone else's personal property with the intent to permanently deprive them of it; theft.
From Anglo-Norman larcin, from Old French larrecin (robbery, theft), from Latin latrōcinium (robbery, brigandage, piracy), from latrō (robber, brigand, mercenary soldier), from Greek latron (λάτρον, pay, hire), from latreuein (to serve for hire). Key roots: latron (Ancient Greek: "pay, hire").
Larceny traces back to Greek latron (pay, wages) — making a thief etymologically a "hired man gone wrong." Latin latrō originally meant a mercenary soldier who fought for pay, and the slide from paid soldier to robber reflects the ancient world's deep distrust of mercenaries. The legal distinction between grand larceny and petit (petty) larceny, based on the value of stolen goods, dates