barratry

Meanings

1. The act of persistently instigating lawsuits, often groundless ones.
2. The sale or purchase of religious or political positions of power.
3. Unlawful or fraudulent acts by the crew of a vessel, harming the vessel's owner.

Etymology

Early 15th century, in sense “sale of offices”, from Old French baraterie (“deceit, trickery”), from barat (“fraud, deceit, trickery”), of unknown origin, perhaps Celtic. In marine sense of “unlawful acts causing loss to owner”, 1620s.