plagiarize
UK: ˈpleɪdʒəraɪz | US: ˈpleɪdʒəraɪz
vt. to steal and pass off (someone else's ideas or words) as one's own
vt. to use (another's production) without crediting the source
vi. to commit literary theft
plagiarize = plagi<to kidnap> + arize<verb suffix>
- plagi (from Latin plagiarius "kidnapper, literary thief," derived from plaga "net, trap")
- arize (verb-forming suffix, indicating action)
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin plagiarius, originally meaning "kidnapper." The Roman poet Martial first used it metaphorically to describe someone who "kidnapped" his verses by copying them. Over time, plagiarize evolved in English (early 17th century) to specifically denote stealing intellectual or creative work. The morpheme plagi- retains its core idea of theft, while -arize transforms it into an actionable verb.
The student was expelled after teachers discovered he tried to plagiarize his entire essay.
Journalists must never plagiarize content from other sources without proper attribution.
The software detects if students plagiarize by comparing their work to online databases.
She accused the author of attempting to plagiarize her research findings.
Plagiarizing undermines academic integrity and can lead to severe consequences.