Expropriate is a verb that means to take property from its owner.

The Latin word proprium (PRO pree um) means ‘property.’ The addition of the prefix E-X, which means ‘out or from,’ gives expropriate a meaning of ‘taking property from.’ Here’s an example of expropriate in use:

Signing that recording contract was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. When I saw that fine print about the manager having the right to expropriate my music, I had no idea that he was using a euphemism for steal!