Phrase guide

white-collar crime

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Non-violent crime, generally for personal gain and often involving money.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Fraud and embezzlement are examples of white-collar crime.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Introduced by American sociologist Edwin Sutherland.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: delicte de guant blanc — non-violent crime
  • Chinese Mandarin: 白領犯罪 /白领犯罪 (báilǐng fànzuì) — non-violent crime
  • Dutch: witteboordencriminaliteit — non-violent crime
  • Finnish: valkokaulusrikollisuus — non-violent crime
  • French: délinquance en col blanc — non-violent crime
  • French: crime en col blanc — non-violent crime
  • German: Wirtschaftskriminalität — non-violent crime
  • Indonesian: kejahatan kelas atas — non-violent crime
  • Indonesian: kejahatan kerah putih — non-violent crime
  • Irish: coireacht an bhóna bháin — non-violent crime
  • Italian: criminalità dei colletti bianchi — non-violent crime
  • Italian: reati dei colletti bianchi — non-violent crime
  • Malay: jenayah kolar putih — non-violent crime
  • Portuguese: crime do colarinho branco — non-violent crime
  • Spanish: criminalidad de cuello blanco — non-violent crime