cor·sair

(kôr′sâr′)

1. A pirate or privateer, especially along the Barbary Coast.

2. A swift pirate ship, often operating with official sanction.

[French corsaire, from Old Provençal corsari, from Old Italian corsaro, from Medieval Latin cursārius, from cursus, plunder, from Latin, run, course; see course.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

corsair

(ˈkɔːsɛə)

1. (Nautical Terms) a pirate

2. (Nautical Terms) a privateer, esp of the Barbary Coast

[C15: from Old French corsaire pirate, from Medieval Latin cursārius, from Latin cursus a running, course]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cor•sair

(ˈkɔr sɛər)

n.

1. a fast pirate ship.

2. a pirate, esp. of the Barbary Coast.

[1540–50; < Middle French corsaire < Occitan corsar(i) < Upper Italian corsaro < Medieval Latin cursārius= Latin curs(us) course + -ārius -ary]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	corsair - a pirate along the Barbary Coast Barbary pirate buccaneer, sea robber, sea rover, pirate - someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without having a commission from any sovereign nation
	2.	corsair - a swift pirate ship (often operating with official sanction) pirate ship, pirate - a ship that is manned by pirates

corsair

noun pirate, rover, buccaneer, freebooter, sea rover Treasure galleons were often attacked by corsairs and pirates.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

corsario

корсар

corsair

[ˈkɔːsɛəʳ] N → corsario m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

corsair

n (= ship) → Piratenschiff nt, → Korsar m; (= pirate) → Pirat m, → Korsar m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

On this expedition was taken the galley called the Prize, whose captain was a son of the famous corsair Barbarossa.

View in context

"See," said D'Artagnan, "what an admirable thing chance is!" D'Artagnan pronounced these words with an indefinable tone of feigned bonhomie, for he knew very well that the victim of pirates was an old corsair, and had engaged him in consequence of that knowledge.

View in context

I fear she had been rather over-educated for her station in life, for she knew by heart many passages in Lalla Rookh, the Corsair, and the Siege of Corinth, which had given her a distaste for domestic occupations, and caused her a withering disappointment at the discovery that Mr.

View in context

'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.

View in context

Of articles collected on his various expeditions, there was such a vast miscellany that it was like the dwelling of an amiable Corsair. There were antiquities from Central Italy, made by the best modern houses in that department of industry; bits of mummy from Egypt

View in context

He followed up his first literary success by publishing during the next four years his brief and vigorous metrical romances, most of them Eastern in setting, 'The Giaour' (pronounced by Byron 'Jower'), 'The Bride of Abydos,' 'The Corsair,' 'Lara,' 'The Siege of Corinth,' and 'Parisina.' These were composed not only with remarkable facility but in the utmost haste, sometimes a whole poem in only a few days and sometimes in odds and ends of time snatched from social diversions.

View in context

"What is there to prevent our arming corsairs at Belle-Isle?"

View in context

Know that I doat on Corsairs; and for that reason, sing it con spirito."

View in context

Though by the repeated bloody chastisements they have received at the hands of European cruisers, the audacity of these corsairs has of late been somewhat repressed; yet, even at the present day, we occasionally hear of English and American vessels, which, in those waters, have been remorselessly boarded and pillaged.

View in context

French airline carrier Corsair has announced it has launched non-stop flights from Miami to Paris-Orly, the company said.

Corsair kicks off non-stop flights to Miami from Paris-Orly

Auto Business News-March 28, 2019--Lincoln to launch new Corsair at 2019 New York Auto Show

Lincoln to launch new Corsair at 2019 New York Auto Show