buccaneer

Meanings

1. Any of a group of seamen who cruised on their own account on the Spanish Main and in the Pacific in the 17th century, who were similar to pirates but did not prey on ships of their own nation.
2. A pirate.

1. To engage in piracy against any but one's own nation's ships.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Tupian *mo- Proto-Tupi-Guarani *mo- Proto-Tupi-Guarani *kaʔẽ Proto-Tupi-Guarani *mokaʔẽ Old Tupi moka'ẽbor. French boucan Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āsjos Latin -āriusnom. Latin -ārius Old French -ier Middle French -er French -ier French boucanierbor. English buccaneer From French boucanier, from boucaner (“to smoke or broil meat and fish, to hunt wild beasts for their skins”), from boucan (“(Tupi-style) grill”), from Old Tupi moka'ẽ, mboka'ẽ (“wooden grill”). By surface analysis, buccan + -eer.