The two words share more than a first syllable; pilfer comes from an old word meaning "booty" (as in, things that are stolen or taken by force, especially during a war) and pillage means "to take things …

PILLAGE definition: to strip ruthlessly of money or goods by open violence, as in war; plunder. See examples of pillage used in a sentence.

If a group of people pillage a place, they steal property from it using violent methods. Soldiers went on a rampage, pillaging stores and shooting.

Definition of pillage verb in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

PILLAGE definition: 1. to steal something from a place or a person by using violence, especially during war: 2. the…. Learn more.

pillage 1. the act of plundering or large scale robbery, usually accompanied by violence as in wartime. 2. plundered property; booty.

pillage, n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Apr 3, 2026 · pillage (third-person singular simple present pillages, present participle pillaging, simple past and past participle pillaged) (ambitransitive) To loot or plunder by force, especially in time of war.

To pillage is a term of war that means to take everything of value from a place that you've conquered, but these days, pillage can be used to talk about anyone who takes what's not theirs.

Pillage definition: To rob of goods by force, especially in time of war; plunder.