piracy

noun

pi·​ra·​cy ˈpī-rə-sē 

plural piracies

1

: an act of robbery on the high seas

also : an act resembling such robbery

2

: robbery on the high seas

3

a

: the unauthorized use of another's production, invention, or conception especially in infringement of a copyright

b

: the illicit accessing of broadcast signals

Synonyms of piracy

• pirating
• raiding
• robbery

Examples of piracy in a Sentence

piracy on the high seas

many countries have harsh penalties for piracy now

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet after years of calls for tech and ISPs to take a greater responsibility to curb infringement, the legislation would be a new tool for studios, producers and other content creators to curb piracy. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

Many movie theaters in the UK are also banning the use of smart glasses due to piracy concerns, the UK Cinema Association (UKCA) said late last month. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

This included one on Reddit about torrents on the site 1337x —which is frequently used for online piracy— delivering an executable file, rather than a media file. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026

Anthonis welcomed the summit’s recognition that protecting intellectual property and fighting piracy are fundamental to sustaining the creative economy. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin piratia, from Late Greek peirateia, from Greek peiratēs pirate

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing piracy

• air piracy
• anti-piracy

Kids Definition

piracy

noun

pi·​ra·​cy ˈpī-rə-sē 

plural piracies

1

: robbery on the high seas

2

: the use of another's production or invention without permission

Legal Definition

piracy

noun

pi·​ra·​cy ˈpī-rə-sē 

plural piracies

1

: an act of robbery especially on the high seas

specifically : an illegal act of violence, detention, or plunder committed for private ends by crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft against another ship or aircraft on the high seas or in a place outside the jurisdiction of any state see also air piracy

2

a

: the unauthorized copying, distribution, or use of another's production (as a film) especially in infringement of a copyright

software piracy

b

: the unauthorized use, interception, or receipt of encoded communications (as satellite cable programming) especially to avoid paying fees for use

the statute's purpose is to proscribe the piracy of programming signals

—United States v. Harrell, 983 F.2d 36 (1993)

3

: the crime of committing piracy