conspiracy

[kuh n-spir-uh-see] /kənˈspɪr ə si/
noun, plural conspiracies.
1.
the act of conspiring.
2.
an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
3.
a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose:
He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.
4.
Law. an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.
5.
any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.
Origin
1325-75; Middle English conspiracie, probably < Anglo-French; see conspire, -acy; replacing Middle English conspiracioun; see conspiration
Related forms
conspirative, adjective
conspiratorial
[kuh n-spir-uh-tawr-ee-uh l, -tohr-] /kənˌspɪr əˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr-/ (Show IPA), conspiratory, adjective
conspiratorially, adverb
nonconspiratorial, adjective
preconspiracy, noun, plural preconspiracies.
Synonyms
1. collusion, sedition. 2. Conspiracy, plot, intrigue, cabal all refer to surreptitious or covert schemes to accomplish some end, most often an evil one. A conspiracy usually involves a group entering into a secret agreement to achieve some illicit or harmful objective: a vicious conspiracy to control prices. A plot is a carefully planned secret scheme, usually by a small number of persons, to secure sinister ends: a plot to seize control of a company. An intrigue usually involves duplicity and deceit aimed at achieving either personal advantage or criminal or treasonous objectives: the petty intrigues of civil servants. Cabal refers either to a plan by a small group of highly-placed persons to overthrow or control a government, or to the group of persons themselves: a cabal of powerful lawmakers.
Examples from the web for conspiracy
  • conspiracy theorists will insist that an entire population was banished to a faraway island, where they step-danced to oblivion.
  • But others said that there was no conspiracy to unearth, and that the case represented merely a unique instance of bad judgment.
  • In addition, she said, conspiracy theories have become popular.
  • They are the ones engaging in the conspiracy of silence.
  • It is not characterized by baseless, wacky conspiracy theories about worldwide plots by mainstream science.
  • conspiracy theories abounded, in some cases urged on by the presidents' detractors.
  • They are not the innocents who are victims of a growing conspiracy.
  • Apparently not or you wouldn't be so obsessed with conspiracy theories.
  • DeLay could have received up to life in prison on the money laundering and conspiracy charges.
  • Indeed, the uniformity of the nationalists' expressed grievances and conspiracy theories, is striking.
British Dictionary definitions for conspiracy

conspiracy

/kənˈspɪrəsɪ/
noun (pl) -cies
1.
a secret plan or agreement to carry out an illegal or harmful act, esp with political motivation; plot
2.
the act of making such plans in secret
Derived Forms
conspirator, noun
conspiratorial (kənˌspɪrəˈtɔːrɪəl), conspiratory, adjective
conspiratorially, adverb
Word Origin and History for 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.