piracy
4 synonyms for piracy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Robbery or hijacking committed at sea against a ship not under the attacker's control.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use piracy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
software piracy
act of piracy
crack down on 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 musi...
Full origin of piracy →Frequently asked questions
What does “piracy” mean?
The word “piracy” means robbery or hijacking committed at sea against a ship not under the attacker's control. In plain terms, either armed robbery at sea, or illegally copying and sharing copyrighted content.
How do you pronounce “piracy”?
“Piracy” is pronounced PEYE-ruh-see (/ˈpaɪɹəsi/ in IPA).
How do you use “piracy” in a sentence?
Here is “piracy” used in a sentence: “The cargo ship altered course to avoid waters known for piracy.”
What part of speech is “piracy”?
“Piracy” is a noun.
Where does the word “piracy” come from?
The word “piracy” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Medieval Latin.
Is “piracy” a common word?
“Piracy” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “piracy” have?
“Piracy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: robbery or hijacking committed at sea against a ship not under the attacker's control.
Related words
pirate
pirate radio
