piracy

[pahy-ruh-see]

noun

plural

piracies 

1. practice of a pirate; robbery or illegal violence at sea.

2. the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc..

   The record industry is beset with piracy.

3. Also called stream capture. Geology.,  diversion of the upper part of one stream by the headward growth of another.

piracy

/ ˈpaɪrəsɪ /

noun

1. robbery on the seas within admiralty jurisdiction

2. a felony, such as robbery or hijacking, committed aboard a ship or aircraft

3. the unauthorized use or appropriation of patented or copyrighted material, ideas, etc

Other Word Forms

• antipiracy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of piracy¹

1545–55; earlier pyracie < Medieval Latin pīrātīa < Late Greek peirāteía. See pirate, -acy

Word History and Origins

Origin of piracy¹

C16: from Anglo-Latin pirātia, from Late Greek peirāteia; see _pirate

Example Sentences

Bloggers passed on their latest favorites like a prophet in the town square, coming in from the online wilderness of music piracy’s heyday with new tracks that could change your life.

Read more on Salon

It is the latest in a spate of attacks that have created concern about a resurgence of piracy in the area.

Read more on BBC

The attack comes amid a resurgence of piracy in the region, which had declined after peaking more than a decade ago.

Read more on BBC

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the detention of the ship “piracy” and said the move was meant to distract from France’s difficult domestic political situation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The 150 passengers hail from a wide-range of countries, including Turkey whose foreign ministry called the intervention "a grave violation of international law" and "an act of piracy".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• copying www.thesaurus.com
• hijacking www.thesaurus.com
• infringement 
• plagiarism 
• theft