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
Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
But a Daily News review of public records shows Rajkumar’s involvement in the lawsuit was fraught with controversy and accusations of plagiarism.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
While some beauty players see dupes as a means to democratize innovation, others see the category, simply put, as a form of plagiarism.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 21 May 2025
Calvin Harris has responded to accusations of plagiarism by veteran trance producer Chicane.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for plagiarism
Cite this Entry
“Plagiarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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