expropriate
verb
Did you know?
If you guessed that expropriate has something in common with the verb appropriate, you're right. Both words ultimately derive from the Latin adjective proprius, meaning "own." Expropriate came to English by way of the Medieval Latin verb expropriare, itself from Latin ex- ("out of" or "from") and proprius. Appropriate descends from Late Latin appropriare, which joins proprius and Latin ad- ("to" or "toward"). Both the verb appropriate ("to take possession of" or "to set aside for a particular use") and the adjective appropriate ("fitting" or "suitable") have been with us since the 15th century, and expropriate was officially appropriated in the 17th century. Other proprius descendants in English include proper and property.
Synonyms
Examples of expropriate in a Sentence
Lauren Kent, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
In the weeks since the legislation has taken effect, no land has yet been expropriated.
—Chad De Guzman, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
Trump was responding to a new law in South Africa that gives the government powers in some instances to expropriate land from people.
—Zeke Miller, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
Just last month, Ramaphosa signed a bill into law that provided new guidelines for land expropriation, including enabling the government to expropriate land without compensation in certain cases.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for expropriate 
Dictionary Entries Near expropriate
Cite this Entry
“Expropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expropriate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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expropriate
verb
Legal Definition
expropriate
transitive verb
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