piracy

noun pi·ra·cy \ ˈpī-rə-sē \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: piracy in a Sentence

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

See piracy defined for English-language learners

See piracy defined for kids

Examples of piracy in a Sentence

piracy on the high seas
many countries have harsh penalties for piracy now

Recent Examples of piracy from the Web

The United States contends that China’s policies requiring foreign companies to share technology with Chinese partners and its weaker patent protections leave US intellectual property vulnerable to theft and piracy.

— hiawatha bray, BostonGlobe.com, "The real China trade issue? It’s stealing, not steel," 11 June 2018
Elsewhere to the north of Darwin, terrorism and piracy in the waters of the southern Philippines and eastern Indonesia pose security challenges, while North Korea’s missile program keeps U.S. allies in Asia in a constant state of readiness.

— rob taylor, WSJ, "Darwin Evolves: U.S. Military Turns Australian Outpost Into Asia Launchpad," 24 May 2018
The island nation's capital, Willemstad, was founded by the Dutch West India Company in the early 17th century, its natural harbor making an ideal port for commerce, shipping — and piracy.

— kevin baxter, latimes.com, "Curacao an island unto itself when it comes to producing big-league ballplayers," 26 Mar. 2018
Even the sale of the Japanese chain for $120 million couldn't stop the bleeding as, in addition to debt, loss leader pricing from big box stores, digital piracy and the debut of iTunes all weighed in on Tower’s problems.

— ed christman, Billboard, "Russ Solomon, Tower Records Founder, Dies at 92," 5 Mar. 2018
The term, also sometimes referenced to as piracy, isn't unique to bald eagles—it's seen in many animals, from mammals to mollusks—but bald eagles have made a name for themselves doing it.

— kevin ebi, National Geographic, "Bald Eagle Steals Dinner From Fox—by Flying Off With Both," 24 May 2018
Attempts in Britain to block piracy websites have proved easy to circumvent, via virtual private networks (which hide what is passing through an internet connection) and proxy sites (which disguise a user’s eventual destination).

— The Economist, "Online porn will soon require age checks in Britain," 24 Apr. 2018
Muso is at the forefront of digital piracy protection and are experts in the business intelligence insights that can be gleaned from it.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "AIM Partners With Muso to Help Indie Artists Sink Pirates," 20 Apr. 2018
Nearly two decades after online piracy forced the closure of CD stores and record labels, music companies today have the financial wherewithal to try their hands in filmmaking.

— ryan faughnder, latimes.com, "With documentaries on David Crosby and Joan Jett, music company BMG is pushing into the film business," 3 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'piracy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of piracy

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1537

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

piracy Synonyms

Synonyms

pirating;

privateering;

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

PIRACY Defined for English Language Learners

piracy

noun

: the act of attacking and stealing from a ship at sea
: the act of illegally copying someone's product or invention without permission
: the act of illegally making television or radio broadcasts

PIRACY Defined for Kids

piracy

noun pi·ra·cy \ ˈpī-rə-sē \

plural piracies

1 : robbery of a ship at sea

2 : the use of another's work or invention without permission

Law Dictionary

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