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.
Vessels discovered in the area include a War of 1812 privateer, boats sunk by German submarines during World War II and an actual German U-boat sunk by Allied forces, the federal agency said. Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 That victory marked the only time a Prancing Horse entered by a privateer, in this case Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team, took top honors at Circuit de la Sarthe’s iconic race. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 25 Jan. 2025 Often, her passengers walk through a world where privateers and pirates are closer to their cabins than to Neverland. Joe Sills, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025 In 1619, the English privateer ship the White Lion docked at Point Comfort in what is now Hampton. Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near privateer

Cite this Entry

“Privateer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privateer. Accessed 16 Feb. 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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