bootlegger

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Someone who bootlegs.
  2. One who is illegally a producer and/or trader of goods, especially of alcohol.
  3. One who breaks intellectual property laws by reproducing protected works without permission.
  4. A miner who mines illegally.

Pronunciation

/ˈbuːtlɛɡə(ɹ)/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bootlegger.wav

Word forms

bootlegger bootleggers

Etymology

From bootleg + -er. Originally a nickname given to smugglers in King George III's reign, derived from the smugglers' custom of hiding packages of valuables in the legs of their large sea-boots when dodging the king's coastguardsmen.

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