Also 6 burglour, burghlar, burgleyer, 7 burglare, -layer. [Found in AFr. in 16th c.: ad. Anglo-Lat. burglator (13th c.), burgulator (16th c.), altered form of burgator (13th c.), perhaps f. the first element of burgh-breche, the native Eng. term for burglary. The Anglo-Lat. verb burgulare (quasi ‘to burgle’) is recorded in 1354 (Assis. 27 Edw. III, quoted in Reeves, Hist. Eng. Law, ed. Finlason II. 419). The 13th c. AF. word for ‘burglar,’ burgesour, burgeysour, is of obscure formation, but of the same ultimate origin. The related BURGLARY is in legal AF. burglarie, in Anglo-Lat. burgaria, burgeria (early 13th c.), for which burglaria is found in 16th c. The origin of the intrusive l, in burglator, burglaria, and the corresponding Eng. forms, is not clear; but the notion of Lambarde (1581), and later writers that the ending -lar represents AF. ler-s, laroun (:—L. la·tro, latrö·nem) thief, is contrary to the evidence. A ‘burglator or ‘burgesour’ was not necessarily a ‘latro’; his object might be something else than plunder.
No corresponding words are known in continental OF. or med.L.; the rare OF. burger ‘saccager, piller’ (Godef.), occurring in Garnier’s Vie de Saint Thomas, is unconnected, unless perhaps this sense of the word may be due to AF. influence.]
1. One who is guilty of burglary.
[a. 1268. Bracton, De Legibus (Rolls ed.), II. 234 fo. 115 b. Murdritores & robbatores & burglatores.
c. 1287. Fleta, I. xvi. (ed. 1685 p. 15). Tempus autem discernit prædonem a fure & a Burgatore.
1292. Britton, I. xi. De Burgeysours…. Tenoms a burgesours trestouz ceux, qi felounousement en tens de pes brusent eglises, ou autri mesouns, ou murs ou portes de nos citez ou de nos burgs.
1516. in Fitzherbert, Graunde Abridgement, 268 b. Burglers sont ceux que entrent mesons ou eglises al entent de inbloier beins.]
1541. trans. Fitzherbert’s New Bk. Justyces, 125 b. Burglours are properly such as felonously in ye tyme of peace breke any house, church, [etc.].
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., I. xxi. 221. A Burglour whom Britton calleth a Burgessor … that by night breaketh into a house, wyth intent to Robbe, Kill or doe other Felonie [ed. 1582 has burglour, burglar; 1588 burghlar passim].
1599. Broughton’s Lett., v. 15. In Moses law he that had slaine a Burgleyer by night had been guiltles.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, II. xv. 358. A common burglayer will passe by quietly things that lie open.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1768/4. This day were apprehended … two persons suspected to be notorious Burglars and Robbers.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 224. The definition of a burglar, as given us by sir Edward Coke, is, ‘he that by night breaketh and entreth into a mansion-house, with intent to commit a felony.’
1860. G. H. K., Vac. Tour, 140. Still the thing looks well, and might … prevent a particularly conscientious burglar from breaking in.
2. Comb., as burglar-alarm, -season; also burglar-proof adj.
1884. Health Exhib. Catal., 93/2. Bells, *Burglar Alarms, Lightning Conductors.
1882. Daily News, 24 May, 7/6. Stock of second-hand Fire-and-*Burglar-proof Safes.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 4 Sept., 3/2. The *burglar season has set in.
