plagiarism
noun
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Common Misspellings
plagarism, plagerism, plagirism
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The Kidnapping Roots of Plagiarize
If schools wish to impress upon their students how serious an offense plagiarism is, they might start with an explanation of the word’s history. Plagiarize (and plagiarism) comes from the Latin plagiarius “kidnapper.” This word, derived from the Latin plaga (“a net used by hunters to catch game”), extended its meaning in Latin to include a person who stole the words, rather than the children, of another. When plagiarius first entered English in the form plagiary, it kept its original reference to kidnapping, a sense that is now quite obsolete.
Examples of plagiarism in a Sentence
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
The Brazilian song was written by composer Toninho Geraes, who sued Adele for plagiarism in 2021, according to Brazilian outlet Veja Magazine.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
More copies followed, and Nosferatu has been remembered as a plagiarism success story ever since.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024
The plagiarism and lack of prosecutorial experience should surprise no one.
—Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for plagiarism 
Dictionary Entries Near plagiarism
Cite this Entry
“Plagiarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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