pirate

[pahy-ruht]

noun

1. a person who robs or commits illegal violence at sea or on the shores of the sea.

   Synonyms: plunderer, corsair, buccaneer, freebooter

2. a ship used by such persons.

3. any plunderer, predator, etc..

   confidence men, slumlords, and other pirates.

4. a person who uses or reproduces the work or invention of another without authorization.

5. Also called pirate stream. Geology.,  a stream that diverts into its own flow the headwaters of another stream, river, etc.

verb (used with object)

pirated, pirating 

1. to commit piracy upon; plunder; rob.

2. to take by piracy.

   to pirate gold.

3. to use or reproduce (a book, an invention, etc.) without authorization or legal right.

   to pirate hit records.

4. to take or entice away for one's own use.

   Our competitor is trying to pirate our best salesman.

verb (used without object)

pirated, pirating 

1. to commit or practice piracy.

pirate

/ ˈpaɪrɪt, paɪˈrætɪkəl /

noun

1. a person who commits piracy

2. 1. a vessel used by pirates

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pirate ship

3. a person who illicitly uses or appropriates someone else's literary, artistic, or other work

4. 1. a person or group of people who broadcast illegally

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pirate radio station

verb

1. (tr) to use, appropriate, or reproduce (artistic work, ideas, etc) illicitly

Other Word Forms

• piratelike adjective
• piratical adjective
• piratic adjective
• piratically adverb
• unpirated adjective
• unpiratical adjective
• unpiratically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pirate¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Latin pīrāta < Greek peirātḗs, equivalent to peirā- , variant stem of peirân to attack + -tēs agent noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of pirate¹

C15: from Latin pīrāta, from Greek peirātēs one who attacks, from peira an attempt, attack

Example Sentences

It’s wearing a tiny pirate’s hat on the top of its head, decorated with a golden buckle.

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Whether the job was to jump on a stolen velocipede, win over a band of pirates, visibilize invisible ink, pen a sonnet, or don a disguise, Simon Harley-Dickinson was the man for it.

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“Nonsense; that is mere superstition. There have been many competent lady sailors, and even notorious lady pirates. Not that being a pirate is anything to brag about.”

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Alas, the book had been lost in a high-speed chase involving singing pirates and a howling parrot.

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“Actually, there have been many famous lady pirates,” Penelope felt compelled to say.

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Related Words

• raider