What does bootlegger mean?
A bootlegger is a person who illegally makes, transports, or sells goods, most famously alcoholic liquor. The term rose to prominence during American Prohibition (1920–1933), when federal law banned the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages and a vast underground trade emerged to satisfy continued demand. Its name derives from the old trick of concealing flasks of liquor inside the shaft of a boot. While historically associated with whiskey runners, rumrunners, and operators of hidden distilleries, the word has broadened over time: today it may also describe sellers of pirated music, films, or counterfeit merchandise. The term carries a vivid, somewhat romanticized aura thanks to its Prohibition-era associations, appearing frequently in histories, crime fiction, and film, yet it remains fundamentally a label for illicit commerce. Related forms include the verb 'to bootleg' and the noun 'bootlegging,' both still in active use.
nounA person who makes, sells, or transports goods—especially alcoholic liquor—illegally, typically to evade taxation or prohibition laws.
- A person who illegally produces, transports, or sells alcoholic liquor, especially during Prohibition.
- By extension, anyone who deals in illicitly produced or distributed goods, such as pirated recordings or merchandise.
"During Prohibition, the bootlegger smuggled Canadian whisky across the Detroit River by night."
"Federal agents raided the warehouse where the bootlegger stored his contraband whiskey."
"In the early days of hip-hop, street bootleggers sold copied cassette tapes outside concerts."
Regular plural formation; used identically in British and American English.
"Rival bootleggers fought violent turf wars over the city's liquor trade."
The word comes from the practice of hiding flasks of liquor inside a boot leg — making 'bootlegging' one of the few crimes named after a piece of clothing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bootlegger
The word 'bootlegger' derives from 'bootleg,' a compound of 'boot' (the item of footwear) and 'leg,' referring to the practice of hiding liquor in the leg of a boot while smuggling it. It originated as American slang in the late nineteenth century, well before Prohibition, when it described those who carried illegal liquor on their person. From this noun came the verb 'bootleg' and the activity 'bootlegging,' which broadened beyond liquor to any illicitly produced or distributed goods.
Related word forms
How bootlegger is actually used
The word carries strong historical connotations of American Prohibition (1920–1933), when it described dealers in illegal liquor; it is informal-to-neutral in register rather than technical legal vocabulary. In modern usage it extends loosely to traffickers in counterfeit or pirated media, though 'pirate' or 'counterfeiter' are often preferred in that context.
Easily confused with bootlegger
A bootlicker is a servile flatterer who curries favor with others, whereas a bootlegger is someone who illegally makes or sells goods, especially liquor.