Other forms: conspiracies
A conspiracy is a secret plan by several people to do something wrong. A criminal conspiracy, conspiracy theory, conspiracy to defraud.
In law it is an offence by itself: agreeing to commit a crime is punishable whether or not the crime follows. Conspiracy theory names an explanation that prefers hidden design to accident, and its weakness is usually the number of people who would have to keep quiet. Note that the Latin means breathing together.
1nounconspiracyA secret plan by several people to do something wrong.
“They were found guilty of conspiracy to rob a bank.”
conspiracy is a secret plan.
Latin conspiratio is con plus spirare, to breathe — breathing together. Spirit, inspire and respire come from the same breathing.
Latin
cōnspīrātiō
Anglo-Norman
conspiracie
Middle English
conspiracie
English, today
conspiracy
From Middle English conspiracie, from Anglo-Norman conspiracie, from Latin cōnspīrātiō, from conspire + -acy.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA