piracy
The origin and history of piracy.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin piratia, ultimately from Greek peirateia. English extended the word from actual sea robbery to unauthorized copying in the late 1600s, when the Crown's printing monopolies made unlicensed book printers seem like "pirates" attacking legitimate trade — a sense that later carried over naturally to music, film, and software.
Class of 1600
piracy first entered the language around 1600. Other words from the same year:
See the full Class of 1600 →