Main Entry: ¹fil·i·bus·ter

Pronunciation: \ˈfi-lə-ˌbəs-tər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Spanish filibustero, literally, freebooter

Date: 1851

1 : an irregular military adventurer; specifically : an American engaged in fomenting insurrections in Latin America in the mid-19th century
2 [²filibuster] a : the use of extreme dilatory tactics in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly b : an instance of this practice