Piracy
/ˈpaɪrəsi/noun
The act of attacking and robbing ships at sea, or illegally copying and distributing copyrighted material.
Did you know?Piracy comes from Greek peiráomai, meaning “to attempt” or “to make an attack,” and the ancient sense was less “cartoon villain” and more “dangerous trial by force.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
peiráomai
“to try, attempt, make an attack”
Late Greek
Greek
peiratēs
“an attacker, brigand, sea-robber”
Latin
Latin
pirata
“pirate, sea-rover”
Old French
Old French
piraterie
“piracy, pirate activity”
Middle English
English
piracie
“piracy, robbery at sea”
Modern English
English
piracy
“the crime of attacking ships at sea; illegal copying”