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
Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Dec. 2024
That’s not new for the former CSO composer-in-residence, whose penchant for brazen quotation has previously courted accusations of plagiarism.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2024
In a year that saw leadership turnover, public protests, and plagiarism allegations, the fundraising machine at Harvard University still saw its second-highest donation haul in its 388-year history.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024
Accusations of plagiarism The revenue-sharing announcement follows a rocky month for the AI startup.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 30 July 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 21 Dec. 2024.
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