conspiracy
pronunciation
How to pronounce conspiracy in British English:
UK [kənˈspɪrəsi]
How to pronounce conspiracy in American English:
US [kənˈspɪrəsi]
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- Noun:
- a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
- a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot)
- a group of conspirators banded together to achieve some harmful or illegal purpose
Word Origin
- conspiracy (n.)
- mid-14c., from Anglo-French conspiracie, Old French conspiracie "conspiracy, plot," from Latin conspirationem (nominative conspiratio) "agreement, union, unanimity," noun of action from conspirare (see conspire); earlier in same sense was conspiration (early 14c.), from French conspiration (13c.), from Latin conspirationem. An Old English word for it was facengecwis. As a term in law, from 1863. Conspiracy theory is from 1909.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Officials blamed a western conspiracy to scupper the deal .
- 2. This little conspiracy suits the corporate world and the fourth estate .
- 3. He wasn 't charged in the case , but a subordinate was sentenced for conspiracy to commit murder .
- 4. Some find the conspiracy theories irresistible .
- 5. He says the conspiracy theories are flimsy .