biopiracy

American  

[bahy-oh-pahy-ruh-see] / ˌbaɪ oʊˈpaɪ rə si /

noun

1. the commercial exploitation or monopolization of biological or genetic material, as medicinal plant extracts, usually without compensating the Indigenous peoples or countries from which the material or relevant knowledge is obtained.

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biopiracy British  

/ ˈbaɪəʊˌpaɪrəsɪ /

noun

1. the use of wild plants by international companies to develop medicines, without recompensing the countries from which they are taken

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• biopirate
  noun

Etymology

Origin of biopiracy

First recorded in 1990–95; bio- ( def. ) + piracy ( def. )

Example Sentences

Brazil is one of several countries increasingly concerned about so-called "biopiracy," the use of genetic resources without permission or benefit-sharing.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Environmental experts have described the planned export of the trees as "biopiracy".

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2022

He says that developing nations and Indigenous people should be worried about biopiracy, and that it’s very important to regulate access to the high seas to prevent biopiracy from happening there.

From Nature • Mar. 26, 2020

In theory, smart contracts of this sort would give governments wary of biopiracy peace of mind, while also encouraging companies big and small to experiment with the data.

From Economist • Jan. 23, 2018

It codifies a nation’s sovereign right to its genetic resources and is intended to address accusations of biopiracy, in which researchers and industry from wealthier nations exploit local resources and knowledge without recognizing the source.

From Slate • Apr. 7, 2017