1. the practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea
Usage: nautical; historical
2. the unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted material
Usage: legal

Examples

• Piracy was a major threat to merchant ships in the Caribbean during the 17th century.
• The famous pirate Blackbeard was known for his acts of piracy along the American coast.
• Software piracy costs the industry billions of dollars each year.
• The company filed a lawsuit against the website for music piracy.
• Digital piracy has become easier with the rise of file-sharing networks.
• The government launched a campaign to combat movie piracy.
• Historical accounts of piracy often romanticize what was actually violent crime.