Diebin

Diebin is a feminine noun in German that denotes a woman who commits theft. It is formed from the masculine noun Dieb (thief) with the feminine suffix -in, following a common pattern in German for agent nouns. The plural form is Diebinnen, used when referring to multiple female thieves. In contemporary usage, Diebin is a straightforward, descriptive term and can appear in crime reports, news, and fiction.

Usage and semantics: Diebin refers specifically to a female thief and contrasts with Dieb, the masculine counterpart. The term is neutral in its dictionary meaning but, as with descriptions of criminal behavior, can carry negative connotations in everyday speech. In legal contexts, German distinguishes the offense Diebstahl (theft) from the offender’s gender; whether a thief is male or female is indicated by the noun (Dieb/Diebin) rather than by a separate legal category.

Historical and literary usage: In historical sources and literature, Diebin often appears as an archetype—an agile, cunning woman who steals or participates in theft. In modern fiction, Diebin characters may be portrayed as sympathetic or morally ambiguous, reflecting broader storytelling traditions about crime and gender.

See also: Dieb, Diebstahl, Diebinnen.

Notes: The article uses standard German terminology and reflects common usage in dictionaries and linguistic references.