piracy

/ˈpaɪrəsi/
noun
  1. The illegal copying, distribution, or use of software, music, movies, or other copyrighted material.
    • The musician spoke out against piracy, saying it hurts independent artists the most.
    • Online piracy of movies costs the film industry billions of dollars each year.
    • Many countries have strict laws to combat software piracy.
  2. The practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea.
    • Piracy remains a serious problem in some parts of the ocean, especially near the coast of Somalia.
    • The navy was deployed to protect commercial vessels from piracy in the region.
    • Modern piracy often involves small, fast boats that target cargo ships.
  3. The unauthorized use or reproduction of someone else's work or ideas.
    • The designer accused the company of piracy after they copied her dress patterns.
    • The author sued the publisher for piracy of her unpublished manuscript.
    • Patent piracy can stifle innovation by stealing inventors' ideas.
Synonyms
What does "piracy" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean