← Money & thrift

pelf

noun · Middle English

Wealth with a criminal record.

Money or riches, usually ill-gotten.

In the wild

“He chased pelf from Cheapside to Calais.”

Origin

Middle English, from Old French pelfre, 'spoils'.

Sources·Middle English Dictionary/Oxford English Dictionary

More from Money & thrift

rhinoA colloquial and rather robust term for ready money or cash.
feohThe Old English ancestor of 'fee', referring to money, cattle, or property.
brassA Northern English dialect term used to denote money, particularly in the context of wealth.