privateer

English

Etymology

From private +‎ -eer, probably after volunteer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɹaɪvəˈtɪə/
• IPA^(key): /ˌpɹaɪvəˈtɪəɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

Noun

privateer (plural privateers)

1. (now historical) A privately owned warship that had official sanction to attack enemy ships and take possession of their cargo. [from 17th c.]
2. (now historical) An officer or any other member of the crew of such a ship. [from 17th c.]
   • (Can we date this quote by Macaulay and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     Kidd soon threw off the character of a privateer and became a pirate. [from 17th c.]

3. An advocate or beneficiary of privatization of a government service or activity.
4. (motor racing, chiefly Canada, US) A private individual entrant into a race or competition who does not have the backing of a large, professional team. [from 20th c.]

Translations

privately owned warship

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Dutch: kaper (nl) m
• Finnish: kaapparilaiva (fi)
• French: please add this translation if you can
• German: Kaperschiff (de) n
• Hebrew: פְּרִיבָטִיר (he) m (privair)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Ido: korsaronavo (io)
• Italian: nave corsara f
• Japanese: 私掠船 (しりゃくせん、shiryakusen)
• Norman: please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese: navio corsário m
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Spanish: buque corsario m
• Swedish: kaparskepp n

officer or crew of a privateer ship

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Dutch: kaper (nl) m
• Finnish: kaappari (fi)
• French: corsaire (fr) m
• German: Freibeuter (de) m
• Hebrew: פְּרִיבָטִיר (he) m (privair)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Ido: korsaro (io)
• Italian: corsaro (it) m
• Norman: cap'taine à la course m
• Portuguese: corsário (pt) m
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Spanish: corsario (es) m
• Swedish: kapare (sv) c, fribrytare c

motor racing: private individual entrant

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: yksityiskuski

See also

• letter of marque
• (motor racing): works team

Verb

privateer (third-person singular simple present privateers, present participle privateering, simple past and past participle privateered)

1. To function under official sanction permitting attacks on enemy shipping and seizing ship and cargo; to engage in government-sponsored piracy. [from 17th c.]
2. To advocate or benefit from privatization of government services.