corsario

corsair

noun kohr-SAH-ryoh Rare

Origin: Italian corsaro, ultimately from Latin cursus (a running)

Also means

privateer

Usage Note

Corsario describes a privateer sailing under a letter of marque — legally distinct from a pirata, who operates without state authority. Historically, Spanish corsairs were commissioned by the Crown to attack enemy shipping. In modern use the word appears almost exclusively in historical or literary contexts.

Examples

"El corsario atacó el barco enemigo."

Natural Translation

The corsair attacked the enemy ship.

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