piratical

adjective

pi·​rat·​i·​cal (ˈ)pī¦rat|ə̇kəl 

pə̇ˈr-, 

-at|, 

|ēk-

variants or less commonly piratic

|ik, 

|ēk

1

: of, produced by, or being a pirate or piracy

piratical strongholds

piratical editions

piratical attackers

piratical enterprises

2

: befitting or resembling a pirate

a fierce piratical expression

piratically

|ə̇k(ə)lē 

|ēk-, 

-li

adverb

Word History

Etymology

piratical from Middle French piratique (from Latin piraticus) or Latin piraticus (from Greek peiratikos, from peiratēs pirate + -ikos -ic) + English -al; piratic from French piratique or Latin piraticus

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