Standard Lemma guide

bootleg

adj · noun · verb · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈbutˌlɛɡ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B UW1 T L EH2 G Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Illegally produced, transported, or sold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Near-synonym: pirated

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pirated

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Being an inferior imitation of something, possibly a counterfeit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • bootleg coffee

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ersatz

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The part of a boot that is above the instep.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Holonyms: upper < boot

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An illegally produced, transported, or sold product.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He thinks he can cross this border with bootleg and get away with it. I doubt he's right. Maybe years ago, but not nowadays.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contraband

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

An unauthorized recording; for example, of a live concert.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

Examples

  • Years ago I heard a fantastic bootleg of that song. It was my favorite rendition.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A remix or mashup that is a combination of two songs but that is not authorized and audited for copyright use; primarily in the electronic music scene.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A play in which the quarterback fakes a handoff, conceals the ball against his hip, and rolls out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: American-football, ball-games, football, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To engage in bootlegging.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To engage in bootlegging.

To make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, ambitransitive

Examples

  • In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.
  • In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg whiskey from a still hidden in the backwoods.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To engage in bootlegging.

To make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyrighted product.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Examples

  • In the 1990s, Grandpa used to bootleg under some sort of Robin-Hood-esque notion.
  • In the 1990s, Grandpa used to bootleg Windows CD-ROMs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To engage in bootlegging.

To operate a mine illicitly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, ambitransitive

Examples

  • In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg to make ends meet.
  • In the 1930s, Grandpa used to bootleg coal from a shaft hidden in the backwoods.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

distributed or sold illicitly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the black economy pays no taxes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: black, black-market, contraband, smuggled

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

the part of a boot above the instep

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: covering

14

noun

Meaning 14

whiskey illegally distilled from a corn mash

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: moonshine, corn liquor

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: corn whiskey, corn whisky, corn

15

verb

Meaning 15

produce or distribute illegally

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • bootleg tapes of the diva's singing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: produce, make, create

16

verb

Meaning 16

sell illicit products such as drugs or alcohol

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • They were bootlegging whiskey

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sell

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: pirataĵo — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Finnish: piraatti- — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Finnish: laiton — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • French: non-officiel — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Hungarian: csempész- — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Hungarian: zug- — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Hungarian: kalóz- — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Indonesian: bajakan — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Irish: bradach — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Irish: mídhleathach — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Polish: nielegalny — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Polish: piracki — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Portuguese: pirata — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Spanish: pirata — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Spanish: bamba — illegally produced, transported or sold
  • Armenian: ճիտք (čitkʻ) — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • Azerbaijani: qunc — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • German: Stiefelschaft — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • Polish: cholewa — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • Polish: cholewka — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • Portuguese: cano — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • Russian: голени́ще (goleníšče) — that part of a boot that is above the instep
  • Catalan: contraban — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Chinese: 盜版 /盗版 (tō-pán) — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Chinese Mandarin: 盜版 /盗版 (dàobǎn) — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Finnish: piraattituote — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • German: Kontrabande — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • German: Raubgut — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • German: Schmuggelware — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Hungarian: csempészáru — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Hungarian: zugáru — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Irish: cóip bhradach — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Irish: cóip mhídhleathach — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Irish: taifeadadh bradach — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Irish: taifeadadh mídhleathach — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Japanese: 海賊版 (kaizokuban) — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Polish: piracki produkt — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Portuguese: contrabando — an illegally produced, transported or sold product; contraband
  • Finnish: trokata — to make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor
  • German: schwarz brennen — to make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor
  • German: schmuggeln — to make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor
  • Polish: nielegalnie pędzić alkohol — to make, transport and/or sell illegal alcoholic liquor
  • German: raubkopieren — to make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyright product
  • German: schwarz herstellen — to make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyright product
  • Polish: handlować pirackim produktem — to make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyright product
  • Portuguese: piratear — to make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyright product
  • Spanish: piratear — to make, transport and/or sell an illegal version or copy of a copyright product
  • Polish: być zaangażowanym w działalność piracką — to engage in bootlegging
Real reading context

bootleg in complete knowledge articles

Bob Dylan bootleg recordings Arts & music · Challenging · 17 uses