French word

pirate

Pronunciation

IPA/piʁat/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpirate

Example

Le pirate a pris notre bateau.

The pirate took our boat.

Illustration for pirate (pirate)

More examples

Les enfants ont acheté un chapeau de pirate pour se déguiser.

The children bought a pirate hat to dress up.

Core concept

A sea raider who turns an ordinary voyage into an armed seizure of the ship's goods.

Common phrases

  • capitaine pirate

    pirate captain

  • chapeau de pirate

    pirate hat

  • film de pirate

    pirate movie

Similar words

pirate informatique: A person who illegally copies or distributes software, films, or other media.
voleur: A person who steals other people's property.

Definition in French

Personne qui, en mer, attaque des navires pour s'emparer de leur cargaison ou piller leurs biens.

Word origin

The word pirate is a borrowing that entered French through Italian pirata and traces back to Greek peiratēs, a person who attacks or raids.

Usage tips

  • In modern French, pirate can also describe someone who illegally copies software or media, so context distinguishes this sense from the maritime one.

Related words

  • piraterpirateverb
  • pirateriepiracynoun

Word lists with this word