privateer

American  

[prahy-vuh-teer] / ˌpraɪ vəˈtɪər /

noun

1. an armed ship that is privately owned and manned, commissioned by a government to fight or harass enemy ships.

2. privateersman.

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verb (used without object)

privateers, present (3rd person singular) privateered, past participle, past privateering present participle

1. to cruise as a privateer.

privateer British  

/ ˌpraɪvəˈtɪə /

noun

1. an armed, privately owned vessel commissioned for war service by a government

2. Also called: privateersman.  a commander or member of the crew of a privateer

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verb

1. a competitor, esp in motor racing, who is privately financed rather than sponsored by a manufacturer

2. (intr) to serve as a privateer

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has privateered
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have privateered
  perfect
• is privateering
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am privateering
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been privateering
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are privateering
  progressive
• have been privateering
  perfect progressive
• privateers
  singular 3rd person
• privateering
  participle

Past

• had privateered
  perfect
• was privateering
  progressive singular
• had been privateering
  perfect progressive
• privateered
  simple
• privateered
  participle
• were privateering
  progressive plural

Future

• will privateer
  simple
• will have privateered
  perfect
• will have been privateering
  perfect progressive
• will be privateering
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of privateer

1640–50; private + -eer, modeled on volunteer

Explanation

Long ago, a privately-owned ship used during wartime was known as a privateer. Often the captain and crew of such a ship were also called privateers. The term privateer is sometimes used interchangeably with "pirate," and in fact these independent sailors frequently acted as pirates, looting and seizing other seagoing vessels for their own benefit. Originally, the term designated ships that were commissioned during wartime by a government, so they could aid in fighting the enemy at sea. The word comes from the phrase "private man of war," and is modeled after "volunteer" and "buccaneer."

Example Sentences

Steve Wozniak’s space startup Privateer is launching a global online marketplace that aims to connect customers seeking planetary data with orbiting satellites.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 7, 2023

Privateer, a company co-founded by Dr. Jah, tracks about 48,000 human-made objects, ranging in size from a cellphone to the International Space Station itself.

From New York Times • Mar. 19, 2023

Steve Wozniak, the Silicon Valley icon and co-founder of Apple serves as president of Privateer.

From Scientific American • Jul. 29, 2022

Next trip, I’ll try the Privateer, a coal-fired pizzeria, or South O Brewing Co., which opened in late 2021, pushing the city’s brewery tally to about 15.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2022

And this Depont. further Saith that in their Voyage the Sailors on board the Said Snow did Sometimes express their Fears of being taken by an English Privateer and that the Said Capt.

From Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Illustrative Documents by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)