plagiarize

verb

pla·​gia·​rize ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz 

 also  -jē-ə-

plagiarized; plagiarizing

transitive verb

: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source

intransitive verb

: to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

plagiarizer noun

Did you know?

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 plagiarize in a Sentence

He plagiarized a classmate's report.

She plagiarized from an article she read on the Internet.

Recent Examples on the Web

First, her alliance relationship with Travis Kelce made her into football’s biggest star, and now she’s solidified her truce with another powerful group of straight men: annoying frat bros who love to plagiarize. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2024

The song wouldn’t be released until the following year, at which point the rising pop star would be called out for plagiarizing its lyrics from a popular Tumblr post. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2024

Seems dad’s latest Big Book is, in fact, completely plagiarized from a manuscript, long thought destroyed, written by McNeal’s wife, Harlan’s mother, who committed suicide after discovering her husband’s adultery. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2024

The feature appeared to have plagiarized sections of reporting from multiple publications, while barely or inaccurately citing its sources. —Billy Perrigo/san Francisco, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

plagiary

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

plagiarize

verb

pla·​gia·​rize ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz 

plagiarized; plagiarizing

: to steal and pass off (as the ideas or words of another) as one's own

plagiarized a classmate's homework

plagiarizer noun

Legal Definition

plagiarize

verb

pla·​gia·​rize ˈplā-jə-ˌrīz 

plagiarized; plagiarizing

transitive verb

: to copy and pass off (the expression of ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's work) without crediting the source

the book contained plagiarized material

—Smith v. Little, Brown & Co., 265 F. Supp. 451 (1965)

intransitive verb

: to present as new and original an idea or work derived from an existing source

plagiarism

-ˌri-zəm 

noun

plagiarist

-rist 

noun

Etymology

from plagiary plagiarist, from Latin plagiarius, literally, kidnapper, from plagium netting of game, kidnapping, from plaga net