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Original · left

Loot (plunder)

Goods stolen by force, especially in war or riots.

First in use: ancient / pre-modern
Duplicate · right

Loot box

A virtual item in a video game that gives randomized rewards, often bought with real money.

First in use: the 2000s

Loot / Loot (plunder) / Loot box

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Duplicate share · 12 mo—
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Colour keyGrey · original meaningGreen · duplicate meaningAmber · contested (40–60%)How colours work

Plunder became a paid lottery.

Which meaning of Loot is the original, and which one is the duplicate riding on its name? Loot (plunder) came first (ancient / pre-modern). Loot box arrived in the 2000s. The data below shows which one owns the word now.

Wikipedia pageviews since 2015

Loot (plunder)Loot box
English Wikipedia pageviews since July 2015 load here.

Duplicate's share of attention

Green line = duplicate's % · above 60 it owns the word · below 40 the original does

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The case for each meaning

Sourced definitions, usage stats and quotes

Original · ancient / pre-modern

Loot (plunder)

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Duplicate · the 2000s

Loot box

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More duplicated terms

Gaming

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