Bootlegger
/ˈbuːtlɛɡə(ɹ)/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Someone who bootlegs.; One who is illegally a producer and/or trader of goods, especially of alcohol.
- 2 someone who makes or sells illegal liquor wordnet
- 3 Someone who bootlegs.; One who breaks intellectual property laws by reproducing protected works without permission.
- 4 Someone who bootlegs.; A miner who mines illegally.
Example
More examples"Big overcoats and high boots suddenly became fashionable because they could easily conceal flasks, giving birth to the term “bootlegger.”"
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.