corsair

American  

[kawr-sair] / ˈkɔr sɛər /

noun

1. a fast ship used for piracy.

2. a pirate, especially formerly of the Barbary Coast.

3. Military. Corsair, 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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corsair British  

/ ˈkɔːsɛə /

noun

1. a pirate

2. a privateer, esp of the Barbary Coast

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Etymology

Origin of corsair

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French corsaire, from Provençal corsar(i), from Upper Italian corsaro, from Medieval Latin cursārius, equivalent to Latin curs(us) course + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

Of the 52 “Barbary corsairs” who were captured by the Dutch in November 1614, only four were north African Muslims, the remaining 48 being “fortune-seeking sailors from England and the Netherlands.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Ottoman territories like Algeria were almost wholly autonomous but lacked an official navy, relying on corsairs to protect their coasts.

From National Geographic

Much of its layout dates back to its time as an Ottoman protectorate and entrepot for corsair plunder, in the centuries before a French expeditionary force landed at Sidi Ferruch in 1830.

From Washington Post

Barbary corsairs built coastal watchtowers in the 17th century that still flank several harbors.

From Washington Post

The Lancia Aurelia America is an Italian classic, and the European designers borrowed wraparound windshields and corsair bumper design from their U.S. counterparts.

From New York Times