WorldJuly 15, 2026
expropriation
/ˌɛksproʊpriˈeɪʃən/
Definition
The formal act of a government taking private or communal property for public or state use, typically without the owner's consent.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'expropriare' (to deprive of property), which combines 'ex-' (out of) and 'proprius' (one's own). It entered English via French to describe the legal process of dispossessing an owner of their holdings.
In the news
In this article, the word refers to the Iranian government's state-led seizure and transfer of historic church compounds to a state-controlled entity. It is used to describe the systematic removal of property rights from religious minorities.
Evangelicals call to halt the seizure of a historic church in Iran
Read the full article ↗Evangelical Focus