plagiarize

verb

pla·gia·rize | \ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz also -jē-ə-

plagiarized; plagiarizing

Definition of plagiarize

: 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

Other Words from plagiarize The Kidnapping Roots of Plagiarize Example Sentences Learn More about plagiarize

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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

Is anybody working on a script about Mr. Biden plagiarizing speeches by Neil Kinnock? — Matthew Hennessey, WSJ, "Cheney Biopic ‘Vice’ Has Few Virtues," 4 Oct. 2018 Hinostroza managed to ascend to the country's Supreme Court despite accusations of previous misconduct, including having allegedly plagiarized his thesis and a book that bears his name. — Fox News, "Peru judicial chief resigns in latest scandal rocking Peru," 19 July 2018 The fledgling group, which has just 36 members, is also encouraging universities to make greater efforts to detect plagiarism—such as by installing software that can detect plagiarized material—and to penalize those who copy. — Linda Nordling, Science | AAAS, "In Nigeria, a battle against academic plagiarism heats up," 27 June 2018 In North Carolina, Deberry’s candidacy hit a speed bump in March, when she was accused of plagiarizing pieces of Krasner’s campaign website. — Chris Palmer, Philly.com, "6 months in, Philly DA Larry Krasner cementing national stature among reform advocates," 12 June 2018 Which works has The Shape of Water been criticized of plagiarizing? — Eliza Berman, Time, "Everything to Know About the Shape of Water Plagiarism Controversy," 1 Mar. 2018 An Arizona state senator appears to have plagiarized parts of his answers to a 2016 candidate questionnaire that appeared on azcentral.com. — Dustin Gardiner, azcentral, "Arizona state Sen. Juan Mendez accused of plagiarism," 29 Mar. 2018 The Girls came out in June 2016 to wide acclaim — but the following year, her ex-boyfriend Chaz Reetz-Laiolo filed a lawsuit accusing her of plagiarizing the book from his work. — Gabriella Paiella, The Cut, "Judge Dismisses Plagiarism Lawsuit Against The Girls Author Emma Cline," 2 July 2018 Apparently the kid is a remarkable writer and literary analyst, but was held back the previous year for allegedly plagiarizing a paper. — refinery29.com, "The Affair Season 4, Episode 1 Recap: You're The Earthquake I've Been Waiting On," 18 June 2018

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

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More Definitions for plagiarize

plagiarize

verb

English Language Learners Definition of plagiarize

: to use the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own words or ideas

See the full definition for plagiarize in the English Language Learners Dictionary

plagiarize

verb

pla·gia·rize | \ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz

plagiarized; plagiarizing

Legal Definition of plagiarize

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 material — Smith 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

Other Words from plagiarize

plagiarism \-ˌri-zəm

\ noun

plagiarist \-rist

\ noun