pirate

pronunciation

How to pronounce pirate in British English: UK [ˈpaɪrət]word uk audio image

How to pronounce pirate in American English: US [ˈpaɪrət] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
    someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without having a commission from any sovereign nation
    a ship manned by pirates
  • Verb:
    copy illegally; of published material
    take arbitrarily or by force

Word Origin

pirate
pirate: [15] A pirate is etymologically someone who makes an ‘attempt’ or ‘attack’ on someone. The word comes via Latin pīrāta (where the notion of a ‘sea-robber’ first emerged) from Greek peirātés ‘attacker, marauder’, a derivative of the verb peiran ‘attempt, attack’. This came from the same base, *per- ‘try’, as produced English experience, expert, peril, repertory, etc.=> experience, expert, peril, repertory
pirate (n.)
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- (3) "to try, risk" (cognates: 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 (v.)
1570s, from pirate (n.). Related: Pirated; pirating.

Example

1. The pirate vessel fled before the navy ship arrived .
2. Today 's verdict in the pirate bay case only strengthens support for the site .
3. It can be even stranger to find yourself referred to as a vampire . Or a pirate . Or whatever .
4. Cutting down on pirate attacks may not be among them .
5. Facebook has now blocked all shared links from the pirate bay .

more: >How to Use "pirate" with Example Sentences