pirate

American  

[pahy-ruht] / ˈpaɪ rət /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

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."

Example Sentences

One showed people recording action sequences with iPhone 17 Pro Maxes, including a movie set where a pirate ship was under attack, and another featuring an incoming tornado.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

There are multiple themed weekends, too, including the first weekend when guests were encouraged to strut out in their best pirate garb.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Get Go is a homage to London, with snatches of pirate radio and a crisp two-step beat, articulating a story about the therapeutic feeling of dancing with strangers.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Notorious pirate Henry "Long Ben" Avery was born near by.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

“Before him, it was that pirate Drake. And before him, Odysseus. They were all the same! The gods send me the greatest heroes, the ones I cannot help but...”

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• raider