Dictionary

Jolly Roger en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Received-Pronunciation) audio
• (General-American) audio
• (Australia) audio
• /ˌdʒɒli ˈɹɒdʒə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌdʒɑli ˈɹɑdʒɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

Possibly from jolly + Roger (“dialectal nickname for the Devil”).

Meanings

1. The traditional flag used on European and American pirate ships, and, more recently, by submarine crews, often pictured as a white skull and crossbones on a black field; the blackjack.
   • A Day or two after they parted, [Francis] Spriggs was choſe Captain by the reſt, and a black Enſign was made, which they called Jolly Roger, with the ſame Device that Captain [Edward] Low carried, viz. a white Skeliton in the Middle of it, with a Dart in one Hand ſtriking a bleeding Heart, and in the other, an Hour Glaſs; when this was finiſhed and hoiſted, they fired all their Guns to ſalute their Captain and themſelves, and then looked out for Prey. 1724, Charles Johnson [pseudonym], “Of Captain Spriggs and His Crew”, in A General History of the Pyrates, […], 2nd edition, London: Printed for, and sold by T. Warner, […], →OCLC, pages 411–412:
   • The Hispaniola still lay where she had anchored; but, sure enough, there was the Jolly Roger—the black flag of piracy—flying from her peak. 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Narrative Resumed by Jim Hawkins; the Garrison in the Stockade”, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC, part IV (The Stockade), page 151:
   • Havana was closely guarded by the dual castles; the more famous of them being the Morro Castle. The castles' purpose long since disregarded, stood as a reminder to the Cubans to keep foreigners at bay. Years ago to accomplish just that—keeping foreigners at bay, chains had been hung between the two castles to keep marauding pirates out. But over the years, money and greed had been able to seep through these chains, and now the pirates no longer came in their schooners, flying jolly Rogers, but as capitalistic businessmen carrying the almighty dollar. During [Fulgencio ] Batista's regime, these United States capitalists were welcomed with open arms and left to loot the Cubans of their lands and properties. 2003, Donna Marie Robie, chapter 53, in The Cuban Connection: Operation Sugar Cane, Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, →ISBN, page 241:
   • [I]t is a documented fact that pirates captured treasures of jewels and gold while Jolly Rogers or bloody flags flew atop their mainmasts (although they were more likely to capture a "treasure" of socks, molasses, and flour). 2005, Michele Torrey, “Author’s Note”, in Voyage of Plunder: Chronicles of Courage, New York, N.Y.: Yearling, Random House Children's Books, published March 2007, →ISBN, page 184:

Forms

Relateds

🏴☠️

Synonyms

black flag · Roger

Translations (33)

pl bandera piratów (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · nl doodshoofdvlag (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · fa پرچم دزدان دریایی (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · bn জলি রজার (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · szl piracko fana (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · fi merirosvolippu (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · da sørøverflag (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · ko 해적기 (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · de Totenkopffahne (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · he דֶּגֶל שׁוֹדְדֵי יָם (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · fr pavillon pirate (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · de Piratenflagge (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · no piratflagg (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · lt Linksmasis Rodžeris (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · ja 海賊旗 (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · uk Веселий Роджер (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · az Şən Rocer (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · mzn دریایی دزدون پرچم (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · es bandera pirata (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · de Totenkopfflagge (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · cv Хаваслӑ Роджер (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · id Jolly Roger (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · cmn 海盜旗 /海盗旗 (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · fr pavillon noir (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · ml ജോളി റോജർ (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · nl doodskopvlag (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · no sjørøverflagg (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · bg Веселият Роджър (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · nl piratenvlag (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · ar جولي روجر (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · id bendera bajak laut (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · hy Ուրախ Ռոջեր (traditional flag used on pirate ships) · ru Весёлый Роджер (traditional flag used on pirate ships)