corsair

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From French corsaire, from French lettre de course, alternative term for letter of marque.

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[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkɔ:sɛ:/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

corsair (plural corsairs)

1. A French privateer, especially from the port of St-Malo
2. A privateer or pirate in general

   1840 "If I had been born a corsair or a pirate, a brigand, genteel highwayman or patriot -- and they're the same thing," thought Mr. Tappertit, musing among the nine-pins, "I should have been all right. But to drag out a ignoble existence unbeknown to mankind in general -- patience! I will be famous yet. — Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, [Chapter 34.]

3. The ship of privateers or pirates, especially of French nationality
4. Turkish Corsair: A barbary pirate, or barbary pirate ship (from Algeria, which was nominally in the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire).
5. A nocturnal assassin bug of the genus Rasahus, found in the southern USA.
6. F4U Corsair: A World War II fighter aircraft.

[edit] Translations