TechnologyAugust 16, 2026

infringement

in-FRINJ-muhnt

Definition

The act of violating, breaking, or trespassing upon the legal rights of someone, especially in relation to intellectual property or copyright law.

Etymology

Originating from the Latin word 'infringere' (to break or crush), the term entered Middle English via Old French to describe the act of violating a law, rule, or contract.

In the news

The article uses the word to distinguish between legally learning from a text and the unauthorized possession of protected works. It notes that maintaining an illegal library of books is considered clear copyright infringement.

Anthropic paid $1.5 billion over books! Here is where AI copyright law actually stands now

Read the full article ↗

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