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noun

plagiarism

PLAYD-zhuh-rih-zuhm

Plagiarism (noun) means taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as your own. Example: “The student was expelled after being caught committing plagiarism.”

noun
1
Taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as your own.
"The student was expelled after being caught committing plagiarism."
"The professor ran the essays through software designed to catch plagiarism."

How to use plagiarism

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCopying someone else's writing or ideas and passing them off as your own.

Common mistake

Plagiarism is about the act or practice; a specific instance is sometimes also just called "a plagiarism," though "an act of plagiarism" is more standard.

Common pairings
commit plagiarism accused of plagiarism plagiarism checker

Word forms

plagiarisms plural

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The student was expelled after being caught committing _____.

Etymology

From Latin plagiarius, "kidnapper," extended to someone who "kidnaps" another's words or ideas.

Origin: Latin

piracy plagiarization plagiarisation

Related words

Rhymes for plagiarism

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Frequently asked questions

What does “plagiarism” mean?

The word “plagiarism” means taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as your own. In plain terms, copying someone else's writing or ideas and passing them off as your own.

How do you pronounce “plagiarism”?

“Plagiarism” is pronounced PLAYD-zhuh-rih-zuhm (/ˈpleɪd͡ʒəɹɪzəm/ in IPA).

How do you use “plagiarism” in a sentence?

Here is “plagiarism” used in a sentence: “The student was expelled after being caught committing plagiarism.”

What part of speech is “plagiarism”?

“Plagiarism” is a noun.

Where does the word “plagiarism” come from?

The word “plagiarism” comes from Latin. From Latin plagiarius, "kidnapper," extended to someone who "kidnaps" another's words or ideas.

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