The act of stealing other peoples cool shit and saying it's your own.
pla·gia·rism
ˈplājəˌrizəm/Submit
noun
the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.
synonyms: copying, infringement of copyright, piracy, theft, stealing; informalcribbing
"accusations of plagiarism"
by A bowl of moldy cereal June 15, 2017
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A word I made up that basically means copying another person's work.
by cool master guy elite swag yol February 24, 2016
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What people who either can't write or are too lazy do whenever a paper is due. Any usage of someone else's writing as one's own is plagiarism, no matter how cleverly disguised (or not) it is.

Perhaps the most common way is to search for or download existing papers, cut and paste, change the wording superficially and scramble it a little, and turn it in as your own. Other common methods are to simply copy other students' work in one's class, changing it superficially, or to download or even buy papers online.

Any way you do it, it's a reprehensible practice that can, and should get you in big trouble. There are known cases where students have been held back a year, or even expelled. Unfortunately, plagiarism still seems to be a growing problem, and students usually get away with it.

(note: this entry written by a student)
Student: Why am I getting an A- for this paper?
Teacher: Because it matches three other students' as well as wikipedia.
Student: No way! I didn't do it!
Student: And you didn't prohibit it in the syllabus!
Teacher: sighs I ought to make you rewrite it, but-
Student: I'll sue you!

plagiarism
by spinningtabletop May 23, 2008
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To pay homage without acknowledging the source.
All writers are in some way or another plagiarists. Some are just better at it than others.
by Killing Kittens June 9, 2004
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Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous boundaries.
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous boundaries.
by Red~ September 19, 2011
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From Wikipedia: "is the practice of claiming, or implying, original authorship or incorporating material from someone else's written or creative work, in whole or in part, into ones own without adequate acknowledgment."

What I'm doing is not plagiarism because I acknowledged Wikipedia as a direct source of the information and I quoted what I took from the article. There's a world of difference.
-"You know, Family Guy wouldn't be accused of plagiarism if they just admitted to the fact that they copy The Simpsons all the time."
-"It'd still sucks ass, though."
-"I totally agree with you."
by bobertdude July 2, 2007
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To copy something without paying notice to the actual writer.
The biggest example of plagiarism in TV is Family Guy, off of The Simpsons
by giggety April 21, 2006
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