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

• pirating

Examples of piracy in a Sentence

piracy on the high seas

many countries have harsh penalties for piracy now

Recent Examples on the Web

They have been charged with wildlife piracy in what Kenyan authorities said was part of a trend in trafficking smaller and lesser-known species. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025

Between 1978 and the early 1990s, the Gulf of Thailand was notorious for piracy. —Lauren Vuong, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025

In an extreme fashion, the murderous, bootlegger-hunting executive caricatures how streamers have introduced progressively tighter restrictions on online piracy and password-sharing while raising prices on as many features as possible. —Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025

Modern piracy off Somalia has captured headlines over the past two decades, but pirates also operate in the Pacific Ocean, close to where the cruise was sailing. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025

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