corsair

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“
At the time Suleiman Ali's messenger arrived the corsair was away, and there was no saying when his ship would return; therefore, I decided at once not to accept the offer of freedom.

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Definitions (10)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A pirate, especially along the Barbary Coast.
  2. noun A swift pirate ship, often operating with official sanction.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (5)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • But--there is always a but--of course he was a robber and a corsair, and the only excuse for him is that he was no worse than most of his contemporaries. —  English Seamen in the Sixteenth Century Lectures Delivered at Oxford Easter Terms 1893-4
  • I imagined him an aristocratic scapegrace, a corsair--it was the Byronic period then--sailing out to marry a sort of shimmering princess with hair like Veronica's, bright golden, and a face like that of a certain keeper's daughter. —  Romance
  • When in the full tide of his success there was but one thing which preoccupied the mind of the corsair, which was to find a ready market for his spoils and a convenient place in which to rid himself of an embarrassing number of captives. —  Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean
  • The corsair, however, was a far finer fighter than he was a strategist, and was possessed of a most impatient temper. —  Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean
  • The corsair was more patient than his wont. —  Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. French corsaire, from Old Provençal corsari, from Old Italian corsaro, from Medieval Latin cursārius, from cursus, plunder, from Latin, run, course; see course.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Early modern English also corsarie, after Spanish Portuguese; from French corsaire, from Provencal corsari = Spanish Portuguese corsario = Italian corsaro (later Turkish qursān), a corsair, from Provencal corsa = Spanish Portuguese corso = Italian corsa, a course, cruise, = French course, later English course, q. v. Cf. courser.
 

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/ˈkɔrsɛr/
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