air piracy

noun

: the hijacking of a flying airplane : skyjacking

Examples of air piracy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dunn was authorized to carry a firearm via the Transportation Security Administration’s Federal Flight Deck Officer program, meant to defend the flight deck against criminal violence or air piracy. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2023 The president started his day meeting with leaders of the Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank as well as separate meetings with leaders of Poland and Romania to discuss the threat posed by Russia and the recent air piracy in Belarus, according to the White House. chicagotribune.com, 14 June 2021 The president started his day meeting with leaders of the Baltic states on NATO's eastern flank as well as separate meetings with leaders of Poland and Romania to discuss the threat posed by Russia and the recent air piracy in Belarus, according to the White House. Aamer Madhani, Star Tribune, 14 June 2021 But the European Union called it air piracy and barred Belarusian carriers from its skies and cut imports of the country’s top commodities, including petroleum products and potash, a common fertilizer ingredient. Yuras Karmanau, ajc, 8 Aug. 2021 After nearly four years of prison in France for air piracy, McNair disappeared with his family into French society. USA Today, 29 July 2021 The president started his day meeting with leaders of the Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank as well as separate meetings with leaders of Poland and Romania to discuss any threat posed by Russia and the recent air piracy in Belarus. Jonathan Lemire, Anchorage Daily News, 15 June 2021 The president started his day meeting with leaders of the Baltic states on NATO's eastern flank as well as separate meetings with leaders of Poland and Romania to discuss any threat posed by Russia and the recent air piracy in Belarus. Aamer Madhani, Star Tribune, 14 June 2021 After the plane diversion, which outraged leaders abroad described as akin to air piracy, the European Union barred Belarusian airlines from its airspace and airports and advised its carriers to skirt Belarus. Yuras Karmanau, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of air piracy was in 1948

Dictionary Entries Near air piracy

Cite this Entry

“Air piracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20piracy. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Legal Definition

air piracy

noun
1
: the hijacking of an aircraft especially in flight
specifically : the act of seizing control of an aircraft by force, violence, threat, or intimidation with wrongful intent
2
: the felony of hijacking or seizing control of an aircraft

called also aircraft piracy

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