1. a person who steals or misappropriates money entrusted to their care, especially public funds
Usage: formal; legal

Examples

• The government official was exposed as a peculator who had stolen thousands from the treasury.
• The audit revealed that the former treasurer was a peculator who had been skimming funds for years.
• Laws were enacted to punish any peculator who misused public money.
• The peculator was sentenced to five years in prison for embezzling charity donations.
• Citizens demanded justice against the peculator who had betrayed their trust.
• The investigation uncovered evidence that the administrator was a peculator.