corsair
/kɔːɹsɛəɹ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.83 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A French privateer, especially from the port of Saint-Malo.
noun
A privateer or pirate in general.
noun
The ship of such privateers or pirates, especially of French nationality.
noun
A Californian market fish (Sebastes rosaceus).
Example Sentences
- ""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 ^([sic]) ignoble existence unbeknown to mankind in general―patience! I will be famous yet.""
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin cursus Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -ārius Medieval Latin cursāriusder. Italian corsarobor. French corsairebor. English corsair Borrowed from French corsaire, from Medieval Latin cursārius (“pirate”), from Latin cursus (“course, a running; plunder, hostile inroad”). Doublet of courser and hussar.
Origin
- Source language: French