freebooter en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈfɹiːbuːtə(ɹ)/
Etymology
From free + booty + -er. Calque of Dutch vrijbuiter (literally “free booty-er”), from vrij (“free”) + buit (“booty”) + -er (occupational suffix). Doublet of filibuster.
Meanings
-
An adventurer who pillages, plunders, or thieves privately or for compensation; or wages ad-hoc war on other nations, similar to mercenary; also a "freeboot".
The military aspect should, however, be carefully studied, as the result may be to dispel the time-honoured connection between forest and freebooter under modern conditions with long-range rifles.
1901 May 10, G. H. Davies, “Forest in War”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record, volume 4, number 5, page 142:
- One who rehosts online media without authorization, a form of intellectual property theft; one who freeboots.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| freebooters | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
pirate · filibuster · mercenary · conquistador
Translations (12)
bg пират (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · bg корсар (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · pl łupieżczyni (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · nb fribytter (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · pl korsarz (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · nl vrijbuiter (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · ru грабитель (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · de Freibeuter (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · pl łupieżca (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · pl kaper (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · ru флибустьер (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders) · ru пират (A pirate, or person who pillages and plunders)