What does "piracy" mean?

1. (robbery at sea) the crime of attacking ships at sea to steal goods or take control of the vessel. 2. (illegal copying) the act of illegally copying and selling books, films, music, or computer programs. 3. (unlicensed broadcasting) running a radio or TV station without a legal license.

How do you use "piracy"?

Uncountable when referring to the general practice; countable when referring to specific incidents. Often used as an uncountable noun in the context of intellectual property law.

piracy

US //ˈpaɪɹəsi// UK //pˈaɪəɹəsˌi// pira·cy

1 robbery at sea (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Law

the crime of attacking ships at sea to steal goods or take control of the vessel.

the practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea; legally, it involves unauthorized acts of violence or detention on the high seas.

Example

The navy was sent to the coast to protect merchant ships from piracy.

Example

International maritime law provides a framework for prosecuting piracy, which remains a significant threat to global trade routes in certain regions.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general practice; countable when referring to specific incidents.
- buccaneering
- hijacking
- marauding
2 illegal copying (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

the act of illegally copying and selling books, films, music, or computer programs.

the unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted or patented material, especially for commercial gain.

Example

Software piracy costs the technology industry billions of dollars every year.

Example

The studio implemented advanced digital rights management to combat the rampant piracy that typically follows a major film release.

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun in the context of intellectual property law.
- infringement
- bootlegging
- theft
3 unlicensed broadcasting (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical

running a radio or TV station without a legal license.

the operation of an unlicensed radio or television station, often broadcasting from international waters to bypass national regulations.

Example

In the 1960s, radio piracy was common as DJs broadcast from ships.

Example

The government cracked down on radio piracy by introducing stricter licensing laws and seizing illegal transmitters.

Teacher's tip

This sense is less common today due to the rise of internet streaming, but it is historically significant in British media history.
- unlicensed broadcasting

Origin

From Medieval Latin pīrātia, from Classical Latin pīrāta + ia, or Ancient Greek πειρατεία (peirateía).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026