plagiarize

verb

pla·​gia·​rize ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz How to pronounce plagiarize (audio)
 also  -jē-ə-
plagiarized; plagiarizing

transitive verb

: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source

intransitive verb

: to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
plagiarizer noun

Did you know?

The Kidnapping Roots of Plagiarize

If schools wish to impress upon their students how serious an offense plagiarism is, they might start with an explanation of the word’s history. Plagiarize (and plagiarism) comes from the Latin plagiarius “kidnapper.” This word, derived from the Latin plaga (“a net used by hunters to catch game”), extended its meaning in Latin to include a person who stole the words, rather than the children, of another. When plagiarius first entered English in the form plagiary, it kept its original reference to kidnapping, a sense that is now quite obsolete.

Examples of plagiarize in a Sentence

He plagiarized a classmate's report. She plagiarized from an article she read on the Internet.
Recent Examples on the Web The song wouldn’t be released until the following year, at which point the rising pop star would be called out for plagiarizing its lyrics from a popular Tumblr post. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2024 Seems dad’s latest Big Book is, in fact, completely plagiarized from a manuscript, long thought destroyed, written by McNeal’s wife, Harlan’s mother, who committed suicide after discovering her husband’s adultery. Greg Evans, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2024 The feature appeared to have plagiarized sections of reporting from multiple publications, while barely or inaccurately citing its sources. Billy Perrigo/san Francisco, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024 The company adds the sites seem to be using generative AI to plagiarize and re-write articles taken from real US publications. Michael Kan, PCMAG, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for plagiarize 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plagiarize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

plagiary

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of plagiarize was in 1660

Dictionary Entries Near plagiarize

Cite this Entry

“Plagiarize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarize. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

plagiarize

verb
pla·​gia·​rize ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz How to pronounce plagiarize (audio)
plagiarized; plagiarizing
: to steal and pass off (as the ideas or words of another) as one's own
plagiarized a classmate's homework
plagiarizer noun

Legal Definition

plagiarize

verb
pla·​gia·​rize ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz How to pronounce plagiarize (audio)
plagiarized; plagiarizing

transitive verb

: to copy and pass off (the expression of ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's work) without crediting the source
the book contained plagiarized materialSmith v. Little, Brown & Co., 265 F. Supp. 451 (1965)

intransitive verb

: to present as new and original an idea or work derived from an existing source
plagiarism noun
plagiarist noun
Etymology

from plagiary plagiarist, from Latin plagiarius, literally, kidnapper, from plagium netting of game, kidnapping, from plaga net

More from Merriam-Webster on plagiarize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!