What does plagiarism mean?
Plagiarism is the practice of presenting another person’s words, ideas, research, or creative work as one’s own without proper acknowledgment. It may involve verbatim copying, close paraphrasing without citation, or the unauthorized use of images, data, and other original material. The term is especially common in academic and publishing contexts, where it is treated as a serious breach of intellectual honesty and professional standards. Plagiarism is not limited to deliberate deception: inadequate citation can sometimes produce it accidentally, although deliberate misuse is usually viewed more severely. The legal consequences of plagiarism depend on the material involved and may include copyright infringement, while plagiarism itself also carries educational, professional, and reputational consequences. Even when two passages express similar ideas, properly attributing a source can distinguish legitimate scholarly discussion from wrongful appropriation.
nounThe practice of using another person’s words, ideas, or creative work as one’s own without giving proper credit. It can involve copying text, appropriating ideas, or presenting someone else’s work as original.
- Use of another person’s words, expressions, or creative work without acknowledgment, especially as original work.
- Improper or unauthorized appropriation of another person’s ideas, concepts, research, or creative work.
"The editor accused the author of plagiarism after discovering unattributed passages in the manuscript."
"The committee found evidence of plagiarism in several submitted essays."
"Careful citation and quotation help prevent accidental plagiarism in academic research."
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; discussion often uses the uncountable singular form.
"The investigation documented several plagiarisms across the department."
The word plagiarism comes from the Roman practice of kidnapping a child and claiming that child as one’s own.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plagiarism come from?
Plagiarism entered English in the late 16th century from Latin plagiarism, a noun derived from plagiarus, meaning a plagiarist or kidnapper. The underlying Latin word plagium referred to abduction, especially the kidnapping of a child, and the metaphorical sense of taking another’s literary work developed in the early 17th century. Modern English derivatives include plagiarize, plagiarist, and plagiaristic.
Related word forms
How plagiarism is actually used
The term is formal and strongly negative, particularly in education, publishing, law, and academic research. It can describe direct copying, unattributed close paraphrase, and other appropriation of original work.
Easily confused with plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act or practice, whereas a plagiarist is a person who commits it.
Paraphrasing expresses someone else’s ideas in different words, while plagiarism presents copied wording or ideas as one’s own.
Copyright infringement is a legal violation of protected rights, whereas plagiarism concerns the failure to acknowledge a source and may or may not involve legal infringement.