pirate English · revision 10814

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300|origins=fro pirate|origins=la pirata|origins=grc πειρατής}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈpaɪə.rət/, US /ˈpaɪ.rət/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|pirate]] and directly from Latin pīrāta,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from Greek [[m|grc|πειρατής|tr=peirātḗs|t=brigand, pirate]], literally one who attacks,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) from peirân, to attack, attempt, from peîra, trial, attempt (see [[peril]] and [[empirical]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A sea robber: probably before 1300 in Kyng Alisaunder, about 1300 in Etymonline, 1387 in the OED;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) the surname Pyrot is from 1254.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old English had sǣsceaða, “sea-scather”, for a pirate, and ðēofscip, “thief-ship”, for a pirate ship.^(Etymonline) A pirate ship is itself a pirate from 1600.^(OED 1989) Figuratively, any plunderer is from the late 15th century,^(Etymonline) 1526 in the OED.^(OED 1989) One who reproduces another's work without permission is first recorded in 1701, in Defoe,^(Barnhart 1988) 1668 in the OED,^(OED 1989) and the verb in this sense by 1706.^(Etymonline) The verb, to rob at sea, is from 1574.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) An unlicensed radio broadcaster is a pirate from 1913,^(OED 1989) and an omnibus that poached another's route was one in 1889.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1254 – Pyrot (surname).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1300 – a sea robber.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1574 – to pirate (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1668 – a copier of others' work.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1913 – an unlicensed broadcaster.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who attacks and robs ships at sea.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who copies or uses another's work without permission.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An unlicensed radio or television broadcaster.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To copy or use another's work without permission.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To attack and rob at sea.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[piratic]]

+ * [[piratically]]

+ * [[piratical]]

+ * [[piratelike]]

+ * [[piracy]]

+ * [[pirate perch]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[peril]]

+ * [[experiment]]

+ * [[empirical]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}