plagiarism
PLAY-juh-riz-uhm
/ˈpleɪdʒərɪzəm/
The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.
A serious academic and ethical offense, often with severe consequences.
The story behind the word. The word 'plagiarism' comes from the Latin 'plagiarius', which literally meant 'kidnapper' or 'abductor'. The Roman poet Martial, in the 1st century AD, used 'plagiarius' to describe someone who stole his verses. The idea was that the thief was 'kidnapping' his literary children. This vivid image of stealing someone's intellectual 'offspring' has stuck, making 'plagiarism' a powerful term for intellectual theft.
Word relationships
- piracy: Often refers to illegal copying of copyrighted material, especially software or media.
- theft (intellectual): A broader term for stealing ideas or intellectual property.
- originality: The quality of being new and unique.
- attribution: The act of giving credit to the source.
Commonly confused with
- paraphrasing: Paraphrasing involves restating someone else's ideas in your own words, but still requires proper citation to avoid plagiarism.
Word family
- plagiarize (verb): To take someone else's work or ideas and pass them off as one's own.
- plagiarist (noun): A person who plagiarizes.
Collocations
- academic plagiarism
- detect plagiarism
- accused of plagiarism
- avoid plagiarism
Example sentences
- "The university has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, which can result in expulsion." A university policy statement.
- "Accusations of plagiarism can severely damage a writer's reputation and career." A journalist discussing ethics.
Memory hook
PLAGIARISM is like a PLAGUE on your academic record if you steal ideas. Plague of ideas
When not to use
Do not use 'plagiarism' for simply being inspired by someone's work; it specifically means presenting their work as your original creation without attribution.
Fun facts
- The concept of intellectual property and the severity of plagiarism have evolved significantly over centuries, becoming much stricter in modern academia.
Related words
Explore more words
plagiarize, citation, infringement, copyright, intellectual property, ethical
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