Jolly Roger

[roj-er]

noun

1. a flag flown by pirates, having the device of a white skull and crossbones on a black field.

Jolly Roger

noun

1. the traditional pirate flag, consisting of a white skull and crossbones on a black field

Jolly Roger

1. A black flag with a white skull and crossbones, flown in past centuries by pirate ships.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jolly Roger¹

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

One of my earliest codified rules was that, while I would be completely transparent about pirate season and all that it entails, never once would my wife lay eyes upon the Jolly Roger.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In another image, a sign with “Jolly Roger” on it is in the foreground by a dock; just behind it, a British flag flies.

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“The Jolly Roger... he really didn’t want me to put a skull on that, that was the limit, he didn’t want to see that.”

Read more on The Verge

A Jolly Roger pirate flag from a World War Two Royal Navy submarine will go under the hammer later.

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Landing the Jolly Roger ends up being trickier than I’d imagined.

Read more on Literature