The term loot was initially documented in a 1788 English-Hindi dictionary with the same meaning it holds today. Although it was not commonly used in English until the mid-nineteenth century, it gained popularity soon after. In Hindi, as lut, it conveyed a similar concept and has roots in the Sanskrit verb lunt, which translates to “to rob”, indicating a close connection. The word lunt is believed to have originated from the Proto-Indo-European reconstruction reup, meaning “snatch”. It is worth noting that loot had been in circulation well before 1788 in certain English dialects with alternative meanings such as a ladle (derived from Dutch loet) and a slang term for lieutenant. The verb form of loot first appeared in 1842.
