noun
master thief; notorious robber
Refers to a highly skilled or infamous thief, often in a dramatic or exaggerated sense. Can be used seriously or playfully.
彼は大泥棒として名を馳せた。
He made a name for himself as a master thief.
あの大泥棒がついに捕まった。
That notorious robber was finally caught.
Standard kanji spelling.
Mixed kana spelling, often used in children's materials or for readability.
泥棒 is a general term for a thief or burglar. 大泥棒 emphasizes the scale, skill, or notoriety of the thief.
Compound of 大 (おお, 'big, great') and 泥棒 (どろぼう, 'thief'). The reading おおどろぼう follows standard rendaku rules.