Corsairs, Buccaneers, and Pyrates…Oh My!

Ever get a wee bit curious (or confused) with all of the different pyrate monikers? Corsair, buccaneer, kingpin, freebooter, raider, marauder…what, if any, is the difference between them? Well, I went to plunderin’ and did myself an educate on this very topic! ARRR!

So, a “pyrate” seems to be a generic term for all of us scallywags. The official definition from Webster’s Dictionary is:

Pirate: One who commits or practices piracy.

Piracy, in turn, involves procuring…taking…well, it involves stealing. Robbing. Pillaging and plundering. We take because we can, and we don’t ask for permission or forgiveness. THAT is a pyrate!

But, what about the others? What’s a corsair? A buccaneer? Are they actually different from a “pyrate”?

Let’s first look at the etymology of the word, “pirate”, shall we? Etymology:

• Old French – pirate
• Latin – pīrāta
• Ancient Greek – πειρατής (peiratḗs), from πεῖρα (peîra, “trial, attempt, plot”)

So, looks like waaaay back, French sea-thieves, Latin ocean-robbers, and Greek marauders were all firmly grounded in the “P” word – pirate.

So, when did the varying names enter the scene? From what I have plundered, it seems to be a geographical phenomenon that emerged in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. So, here we go…

Corsairs: The earliest known use of “corsair” was in the mid-16^th century. The French word is “corsaire”; the Italian is “Corsaro”; and the Medieval Latin is “cursarius”.  Spanish, French, and Italian pyrates were and are often referred to as “corsairs”. It just sounds fancy, and we know how fancy and proper the Spanish, French, and Italian people are. Apparently, even the pyrates.

Zee-roovers: Dutch sea-robbers. Very specific region. Very specific pyrates. Very Dutch. Love. This. Name. Zeeeeerooooover!!

Barbary Pirates: These sea-robbers raided ships in the Mediterranean and along the northern and western coasts of Africa. Most of these pyrates were Muslim, but because of the robust slave trade in the Barbary region, there were also Christian or Jewish (at least at birth) members of this particular club. 

So, there it is. So many names.  So much plundering. I’ve (obviously) given a VERY abridged history and origin of the varying words for “pirate”. There is much, much more to plunder (research)…but that requires grog. And maybe some boucan prepared food. It’s a pyrate’s life for me!

Next time, Blackbeard’s 300-Year-Old Book…