piracy

[ pahy-ruh-see ]

/ ˈpaɪ rə si /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR piracy ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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

Words nearby piracy

piquet, piquillo, piqué, pir, piracicaba, piracy, piraeus, piragua, pirandello, piranesi, piranha

Example sentences from the Web for piracy

The record business is 98 percent piracy everywhere on the planet.

Quincy Jones Talks Chicago’s Mean Streets, Why Kanye West Is No Michael Jackson, and Bieber |Marlow Stern |September 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This also an area known for piracy, which means that military radar surveillance would have been highly active.

The Botched Hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 |Clive Irving |March 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
First charged with “piracy,” each member of the retinue now faces seven years in jail if found guilty of “hooliganism.”

The Return of Russian Hard Power? |Michael Weiss |November 23, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
“Piracy feeds a lot of people,” Ali says in the film, speaking candidly and unapologetically about his role in the operation.

The Pirate Negotiator |Caitlin Dickson |November 14, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

Piracy has transformed into a well-developed business and I am part of that business.

The Pirate Negotiator |Caitlin Dickson |November 14, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Tried for piracy at Boston, and hanged on January 27th, 1690.

The Pirates' Who's Who |Philip Gosse
As to the general question, whether cruising under a commission from the Confederate States is piracy?

Trial of the Officers and Crew of the Privateer Savannah, on the Charge of Piracy, in the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York |A. F. Warburton
This being found an inadequate check, in 1824 the slave-trade was declared to be piracy and the punishment death.

With Axe and Rifle |W.H.G. Kingston
There appeared something dangerously like piracy in the detailed scheme of the worthy captain, and the Duke failed his man.

From the North Foreland to Penzance |Clive Holland
They are essentially a maritime people, and are not, as far as I have ever heard, addicted to piracy.

Trade and Travel in the Far East |G. F. Davidson

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

piracy

noun, plural pi·ra·cies.

Origin of piracy

OTHER WORDS FROM piracy

Words nearby piracy

Example sentences from the Web for piracy

British Dictionary definitions for piracy

noun plural -cies

Word Origin for piracy

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

piracy

noun, plural pi·ra·cies.

Origin of piracy

OTHER WORDS FROM piracy

Words nearby piracy

Words related to piracy

Example sentences from the Web for piracy

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for piracy

noun plural -cies

Word Origin for piracy

British Dictionary definitions for piracy