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

The Horn of Africa country was once notorious for its pirate raids and ransom attacks but incidents have become less frequent.

Read more on Barron's

European Union naval forces have rescued 24 sailors from a Maltese-flagged oil tanker that was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.

Read more on BBC

Khrushchev angrily rejected Kennedy’s right to impose a quarantine, comparing Americans to lawless pirates.

Read more on Literature

Private security firm Ambrey said the attackers were probably Somali pirates, who have been active in the region in recent days.

Read more on BBC

The dock collapses when the river floods, and pirate attacks have become common as drug traffickers push deeper into the Amazon.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• raider