piracy
Americannoun
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practice of a pirate; robbery or illegal violence at sea.
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the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc..
The record industry is beset with piracy.
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Also called stream capture. Geology. diversion of the upper part of one stream by the headward growth of another.
noun
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robbery on the seas within admiralty jurisdiction
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a felony, such as robbery or hijacking, committed aboard a ship or aircraft
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the unauthorized use or appropriation of patented or copyrighted material, ideas, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of piracy
1545–55; earlier pyracie < Medieval Latin pīrātīa < Late Greek peirāteía. See pirate, -acy
Explanation
Piracy is a what pirates do: they steal stuff. If you plagiarize by stealing someone's words or ideas that’s piracy. Argh! The original sense of piracy comes from pirates — thieves who hijack other boats, taking what they please. That should help you remember that piracy means to steal someone else's work, usually their words or ideas. A writer who doesn't cite their sources is committing piracy. Piracy is plagiarism, and it is legally and morally wrong.
Vocabulary lists containing piracy
Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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Born a Crime
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 11
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On 7 May, the government launched a nationwide crackdown on products and practices that violate intellectual property rights, including counterfeit goods, online piracy and trademark infringements.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
Acts of piracy by Tripoli, Jefferson’s main excuse for fighting, were overblown as well.
From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026
Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, and other Asian nations operate the patrol to combat piracy and other maritime threats.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
During the mid-14th century, Islamic piracy expanded along the Valencian coastline, while increasing militarization created growing demand for protective equipment and weapons.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
News of this came north to Gont, but the Lords of Gont were busy with their piracy and paid small heed to the woes of other lands.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
