[asdfologist]

Source?

According to Merriam-Webster, to poach means "to attract (as an employee or customer) away from a competitor". No indication of illegality here.

[bmm6o]

I'm not sure if you're saying you're not familiar with the meaning that the word has had since the early 15th century, but http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/poaching?s=t. It's application to business employment is obviously much more recent - I can't find a definitive citation, but I'd be surprised if this usage even dated back to the early 20th century.

I find it an inapt analogy to describe a transaction in a competitive job market.

[pmallory]

Since PayPal and Facebook aren't competitors "poaching" isn't an apt description by that definition either. I think "poaching" is just a more dramatic and linkbaity synonym for "hiring".

[mburns]

It's the very next definition of the page you are quoting.

Poach (verb) "to trespass for the purpose of stealing game; also : to take game or fish illegally"

[asdfologist]

That's the wrong definition though. Humans are not "game".

[skj]

That's the GGP's point, I think. The word 'poaching' is used because the humans are treated as game, and continuing to use that word continues to bring up that connotation.