corsair
[kawr-sair]
- a fast ship used for piracy.
- a pirate, especially formerly of the Barbary Coast.
- (initial capital letter) Military. a gull-winged, propeller-driven fighter plane built for the U.S. Navy in World War II and kept in service into the early 1950s.
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Origin of corsair
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for corsair
Contemporary Examples
After writing his letters, Lucan left the Uckfield house at 1:15 a.m. and drove 16 miles to Newhaven, where he dumped the Corsair.
Some $200 million of the $785 million came from Corsair itself, with the balance coming from its limited partners.
For a price below $2.50 per share, Corsair would be treated like other shareholders.
Historical Examples
He considered the corsair a moment with his sunken smouldering eyes.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
Yusuf was standing at the corsair leader's elbow speaking rapidly.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
"Pay him, Ali," said the corsair shortly, and he advanced to receive his purchase.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
"I have lived too little with women to be able to give thee an answer," said the corsair.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
He was just, and he had a conscience, as odd a thing as it was awkward in a corsair Basha.
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
corsair
- a pirate
- a privateer, esp of the Barbary Coast
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Word Origin
C15: from Old French corsaire pirate, from Medieval Latin cursārius, from Latin cursus a running, course
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for corsair
n.
1540s, from Middle French corsaire (15c.), from Provençal cursar, Italian corsaro, from Medieval Latin cursarius "pirate," from Latin cursus "course, a running," from currere "to run" (see current (adj.)). Meaning of the Medieval Latin verb evolved from "course" to "journey" to "expedition" to an expedition specifically for plunder.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper