privateer

noun

pri·​va·​teer ˌprī-və-ˈtir How to pronounce privateer (audio)
: an armed private ship licensed to attack enemy shipping
also : a sailor on such a ship
privateer intransitive verb

Examples of privateer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The ghost ship of Harpswell had been the privateer Dash, which had been lost at sea after compiling its remarkable record. Leanna Renee Hieber, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025 Set in 1627, Salé will follow an Icelandic mother and daughter captured by Barbary privateers and sold into slavery in Morocco. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025 The muse, known as Lucybelle II, was a rare privateer entry that demonstrated the determination of non-factory teams. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2025 The structure is similar to how pirates and privateers once attacked foreign enemies at sea on behalf of their government. Rick Bennett, Time, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for privateer

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of privateer was circa 1641

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Cite this Entry

“Privateer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privateer. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

privateer

1 of 2 noun
pri·​va·​teer
ˌprī-və-ˈti(ə)r
1
: an armed private ship permitted by its government to make war on ships of an enemy country
2
: a sailor on a privateer

privateer

2 of 2 verb
: to cruise in or as a privateer
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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