pirate
Americannoun
-
a person who robs or commits illegal violence at sea or on the shores of the sea.
- Synonyms:
- plunderer, corsair, buccaneer, freebooter
-
a ship used by such persons.
-
any plunderer, predator, etc..
confidence men, slumlords, and other pirates.
-
a person who uses or reproduces the work or invention of another without authorization.
-
Also called pirate stream. Geology. a stream that diverts into its own flow the headwaters of another stream, river, etc.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a person who commits piracy
-
-
a vessel used by pirates
-
( as modifier )
a pirate ship
-
-
a person who illicitly uses or appropriates someone else's literary, artistic, or other work
-
-
a person or group of people who broadcast illegally
-
( as modifier )
a pirate radio station
-
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
piratelikeadjective
-
piraticadjective
-
piraticaladjective
-
unpiratedadjective
-
unpiraticaladjective
-
piraticallyadverb
-
unpiraticallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
piratesimple
-
piratessimple
-
have piratedperfect
-
has piratedperfect
-
am piratingprogressive
-
are piratingprogressive
-
is piratingprogressive
-
have been piratingperfect progressive
-
has been piratingperfect progressive
Past
-
piratedsimple
-
had piratedperfect
-
was piratingprogressive
-
were piratingprogressive
-
had been piratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pirate
1250–1300; Middle English < Latin pīrāta < Greek peirātḗs, equivalent to peirā- , variant stem of peirân to attack + -tēs agent noun suffix
Explanation
Yarg, matey! A cartoon pirate wears an eye patch, three-cornered hat, billowy shirt, and tall black boots. In real life, a pirate just boards ships and robs them of cargo, valuables, and money, often while wearing regular boring clothes. Pirates have been around since humans have been shipping valuable goods by boat across oceans. You can also use pirate as a verb to describe what these robbers do. Today, in addition to traditional pirates, there are pirates who use digital creative material, like books, movies, games, and music, without paying for it. If you pirate a movie, you make a copy and sell it illegally. The Greek root of pirate is peirates, "one who attacks."
Vocabulary lists containing pirate
Words Every Pirate Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
September Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
August Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The game follows Kenway, also from Swansea, as he sails to the Caribbean as a privateer looking for wealth, and evolves into a pirate, then assassin.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
He then worked for pirate radio station Kiss FM in London, becoming a director once the station went legal.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
The streaming giant is undertaking an audacious effort to capture fans of one of Crunchyroll’s biggest hits, the pirate fantasy series “One Piece.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Recent illegal, large-scale overfishing in Somali waters by Chinese boats has also challenged the livelihoods of traditional fishermen prone to turn pirate.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
The flag of a pirate ship on the far horizon, a mermaid’s tail flipping out of sight behind a wave.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
