poaching

[ poh-ching ]

noun

1. the illegal practice of trespassing on another's property to hunt or steal game without the landowner's permission.
2. any encroachment on another's property, rights, ideas, or the like.

Other Words From

• anti·poaching adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of poaching¹

First recorded in 1605–15; poach ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and south western China but have become an endangered species, mainly due to habitat loss, human interference and poaching.

From BBC

Over the years, habitat loss, poaching and collisions with overhead power lines have effected great Indian bustards.

From BBC

It is estimated the species, found in forested areas of Kenya, could be extinct in the wild within two decades after years of poaching.

From BBC

In the film, Ellyanne reports on her favourite animal - elephants - and says that drought caused by changing weather patterns now poses a greater threat to their survival than poaching.

From BBC

In 2018, Bishnoi gained notoriety for threatening Bollywood star Salman Khan, accusing him of allegedly poaching two blackbuck antelopes - a revered species for Rajasthan's Bishnoi community to which Lawrence belongs.

From BBC

Related Words

• piracy
• smuggling
• trafficking