fraudare

Fraudare is a verb in Italian and appears in related forms in other Romance languages, used to denote the act of defrauding or swindling someone. In Italian, the term is relatively formal or legal in tone and is less common in everyday speech, where verbs like truffare or ingannare are more typical. In English-language discussions, fraudare is usually translated as defraud or swindle. The noun corresponding to the act is frode or frode, and the related noun for a deceitful scheme is la frode or la truffa, depending on context.

Etymology and cognates: fraudare derives from Latin fraudāre, based on fraus meaning deceit or wrongdoing. Its cognates are found in several Romance languages, including Portuguese fraudar and Spanish fraudar, with similar meanings to deceive for monetary gain. In Italian, fraudare exists in formal or legal registers, while everyday usage commonly favors truffare for swindling and frode/truffa for fraud as a concept.

Usage and context: fraudare is a transitive verb that requires a direct object or a complement indicating the victim or scheme, such as fraudare qualcuno, fraudare un investitore, or fraudare i fondi pubblici in legal or formal writing. The term is more likely to appear in court documents, regulatory texts, or investigative journalism, where precise terminology around deception and financial impropriety is required. In common speech, speakers typically opt for more colloquial verbs like truffare or ingannare.

See also: fraud, frode, truffa, frottare (note on related concepts includes deceit, bribery, and corruption).