pirate

[pahy-ruht]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pirate ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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), pi·rat·ed, pi·rat·ing.

to commit piracy upon; plunder; rob.

to take by piracy: to pirate gold.

to use or reproduce (a book, an invention, etc.) without authorization or legal right: to pirate hit records.

to take or entice away for one's own use: Our competitor is trying to pirate our best salesman.

verb (used without object), pi·rat·ed, pi·rat·ing.

to commit or practice piracy.

Origin of pirate

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

Related formspi·rate·like, adjectivepi·rat·i·cal

[pahy-rat-i-kuhl, pi-] /paɪˈræt ɪ kəl, pɪ-/, pi·rat·ic, adjectivepi·rat·i·cal·ly, adverbun·pi·rat·ed, adjectiveun·pi·rat·i·cal, adjectiveun·pi·rat·i·cal·ly, adverb

Synonyms for pirate

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pirate ON THESAURUS.COM

1. freebooter, buccaneer, corsair, plunderer.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for piratical

barbarous, chaotic, turbulent, violent, unruly, anarchic, bad, contumacious, criminal, despotic, disobedient, disordered, disorderly, evil, fierce, heterodox, insubordinate, insurgent, mutinous, nihilistic

Examples from the Web for piratical

Historical Examples of piratical

As for the deer-fly, and others of his piratical breed, he will bite like a dog at any time.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
If I tell the truth, they will be seized as piratical plunder.
The Frozen Pirate
W. Clark Russell
She wuz ther most piratical craft in petticoats wot I ever seen!
Jack Wright and His Electric Stage;
"Noname"
Again we were told that the piratical Serbs had seized the town of Alessio.
The Birth of Yugoslavia, Volume 2
Henry Baerlein
No tidings could be gained either of the brig or the fleet of piratical junks.
The Three Midshipmen
W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for piratical

pirate

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

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

Derived Formspiratical (paɪˈrætɪkəl) or piratic, adjectivepiratically, adverb

Word Origin for pirate

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for piratical

adj.

1570s, from Latin piraticus "pertaining to pirates," from Greek peiratikos, from peirates "pirate" (see pirate (n.)) + -ical. Related: Piratically (1540s).

pirate

c.1300 (mid-13c. as a surname), from Latin pirata "sailor, corsair, sea robber" (source of Spanish, Italian pirata, Dutch piraat, German Pirat), literally "one who attacks (ships)," from Greek peirates "brigand, pirate," literally "one who attacks," from peiran "to attack, make a hostile attempt on, try," from peira "trial, an attempt, attack," from PIE root *per- "try" (cf. Latin peritus "experienced," periculum "trial, experiment; attempt on or against; enterprise;" see peril). An Old English word for it was sæsceaða. Meaning "one who takes another's work without permission" first recorded 1701; sense of "unlicensed radio broadcaster" is from 1913.

pirate

1570s, from pirate (n.). Related: Pirated; pirating.