Extortion

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈstɔːʃən/

Definitions

1. The act of obtaining something from a person through coercion, typically by means of threats, violence, or abuse of authority
2. The practice of unlawfully obtaining money or valuables from another by threatening harm, exploiting power, or using intimidation tactics
3. The illegal act of coercing someone into giving up assets or services through threats or manipulation of circumstances

Etymology: Extortion is a fine example of a word whose core image is physical: the Latin verb "extorquere" meant to twist something out, as in wrenching a thing free by force. Its component parts are "ex-", "out," and "torquere," "to twist," the same root that gives English "torque" and "torture." Someone extorted was literally twisted out of what they held, which makes the modern sense of prying money loose through threats feel less like a leap than it first seems. The word passed into English by a route through French. Medieval Latin speakers formed "extortio" from that verb, and it reached English through Anglo-Norman "extorcion" and "extorsioun," before appearing in Middle English as "extorcion." English eventually settled on the spelling "extortion," which keeps the "-tion" ending familiar from many Latin-derived nouns of action.

Synonyms: blackmail, coercion, exaction, fraud, robbery

Antonyms: donation, gift, charity, altruism, generosity