Piracy

/ˈpaɪrəsi/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea.

The rise of piracy off the coast of Somalia has raised global security concerns.

The unauthorized use or reproduction of someone else's copyrighted content.

The film industry is heavily impacted by piracy, with many films illegally downloaded each year.

Robbery on the high seas; a crime involving theft from a ship or other vessels.

International laws are in place to combat piracy and ensure safe passage for maritime trade.

Late Middle English: from Old French 'piracie', from Latin 'piratía', from Greek 'peiratēs' meaning 'sea robber'.

maritime piracy

Robbery occurring on the seas or in the waters.

software piracy

The illegal copying and distribution of software.

piracy laws

Regulations and laws to prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted materials.

privateer

A private person or ship authorized by a government to attack foreign shipping.

corsair

A privateer ship under the authority of a state.

buccaneer

A pirate, especially one operating in the Caribbean during the 17th century.

Jack Sparrowing

He’s been jack sparrowing through the internet for years, pirating movies left and right.

P2P sharing

He’s into P2P sharing, which is often just a fancy term for piracy.

torrenting

Torrenting is basically a modern form of piracy.