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piracy

[ pahy-ruh-see ]
/ ˈpaɪ rə si /
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noun, plural pi·ra·cies.
practice of a pirate; robbery or illegal violence at sea.
the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc.: The record industry is beset with piracy.
Also called stream capture. Geology. diversion of the upper part of one stream by the headward growth of another.
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Origin of piracy

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

OTHER WORDS FROM piracy

an·ti·pi·ra·cy, noun, plural an·ti·pi·ra·cies, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use piracy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for piracy

piracy
/ (ˈpaɪrəsɪ) /

noun plural -cies
British robbery on the seas within admiralty jurisdiction
a felony, such as robbery or hijacking, committed aboard a ship or aircraft
the unauthorized use or appropriation of patented or copyrighted material, ideas, etc

Word Origin for piracy

C16: from Anglo-Latin pirātia, from Late Greek peirāteia; see pirate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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