1. the practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea.Similarrobbery at seafreebootinghistorical:buccaneering
▪ a practice similar to piracy but in other contexts, especially hijacking: "air piracy"
▪ the unauthorized use or reproduction of another's work:"software piracy"Similarillegal reproductionplagiarismillegal copyingcopyright infringementbootleggingstealingtheft
Word Originmid 16th century: via medieval Latin from Greek pirateia, from peiratēs (see pirate).
