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Added 9 October 2026

piracy

/ˈpaɪɹəsi/ noun

In Latin: pīrātica Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about piracy at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Hijacking on the high seas or in similar contexts; taking a ship or plane away from the control of those who are legally entitled to it.
air piracy
The act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own.

Origin

From Medieval Latin pīrātia, from Classical Latin pīrāta + ia, or Ancient Greek πειρατεία (peirateía). The sense of “unauthorized duplication” developed in England between 1660 and 1710. The English Crown granted strict monopolies over book printing to specific guilds, such as the Stationers’ Company. Printing a book without permission was framed as an unlawful attack on the Crown’s authority and revenues. By labeling rogue printers as “pirates”, authorized booksellers equated them with sea robbers operating outside the bounds of civilized society.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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