biopiracy

[ bahy-oh-pahy-ruh-see ]

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.

biopiracy

/ ˈbaɪəʊˌpaɪrəsɪ /

noun

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

Other Words From

• bi·o·pi·rate [bahy, -oh-pahy-rit], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of biopiracy¹

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