noun
pickpocket
PIHK-po-kiht
noun
1
A thief who steals from people's pockets or bags, typically in crowded places, without being noticed.
"Tourists were warned to watch out for pickpockets in the market."
"The pickpocket vanished into the crowd before anyone noticed."
verb
1
To steal from someone's pocket in this way.
"He was arrested after trying to pickpocket a passerby."
How to Use Pickpocket
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who steals from pockets in crowds, or the act of doing so.
Common pairings
watch for pickpockets
a skilled pickpocket
Word Forms
pickpocketed past tense, pickpockets plural, pickpockets singular
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Etymology
A compound of pick (in the old sense "to steal, pilfer") and pocket.