corsair
1
9.9
- noun
- /kɔrˈsɛr/
- Archaic
:
corsario
- If previous generations could defeat the Barbary corsairs, the Caribbean buccaneers, and the Red Sea men, surely this generation can defeat the ragtag sea robbers of Somalia.
- Barbary corsairs
- Muslim corsairs
Examples
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Many historians study the exploits of corsairs who terrorized the Mediterranean in the 17th century.
-
A boat manned by a Barbary corsair suddenly appeared against the wall.
Fiction book (1992) -
Corsairs were mercenary mariners who specialized in the plunder of ships on behalf of a client country.
Blog text (23) -
According to the Liber, these corsairs plagued the seas and shores of Christendom from Spain to Greece.
Academic text (1996) -
The threat from corsairs sailing in the southern Adriatic added to the factors diminishing the attraction of the southern portion of the Dalmatian archipelago.
Academic text (1993) -
The last remaining corsair was finally captured by the navy after years of evading authorities.
-
During the height of piracy, a notorious corsair targeted merchant ships along the Barbary Coast.
Synonyms
356
3.3
A person who attacks and robs ships at sea
1
9.9
A pirate from the North African coast who attacks ships and coastal towns
A person who steals from ships or coastal towns
A person who robs ships and coastal places at sea without government permission
A pirate or dishonest adventurer who roams to steal treasure
Surface Forms
Etymology
Corsair comes from Italian corsaro and the Latin cursus, meaning 'course' or 'run', the same root as the English word course. Think of a corsair as a pirate who 'ran' quickly along sea routes to attack ships, which is why the word means a pirate of the Mediterranean.