From French 'maraudeur' (plunderer), from 'maraud' (vagabond) — of uncertain deeper origin.
A person who raids and plunders; one who roams in search of things to steal.
From French 'maraudeur' (one who plunders, a pillager), from the verb 'marauder' (to plunder, to forage illicitly, to raid), from 'maraud' (a rogue, a vagabond, a scoundrel), of uncertain further origin. The most plausible etymology derives 'maraud' from French dialectal 'maraud' (tomcat) — a tomcat's nocturnal roaming and predatory behaviour serving as a metaphor for the soldier who leaves formation to pillage. Another hypothesis connects it to Breton 'maral' (vagabond) or to a personal name. The word entered English during the
The word entered English during the wars of the late 17th century, describing soldiers who left their units to pillage the countryside.