corsair

corsair
\ \ [15] Etymologically, a corsair is someone who goes on a ‘course’. Latin cursus (source of English course) was a derivative of Latin currererun’, and meant originally a ‘run’.
\ \ From this it developed to ‘journey’ and ‘expedition’ to ‘hostile or predatory expedition’, and eventually to the proceeds of such a raid, the ‘plunder’ or ‘booty’. In medieval Latin the term cursārius was derived from it to denote someone who took part in such raids, and this passed into English via Old Italian corsaro, Provençal corsari, and Old French corsaire.
\ \ Cf.COURSE, HUSSAR

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Corsair — bezeichnet: auf englisch die einstigen Freibeuter der Meere (Piraten), auch bekannt als Korsaren (fr. Corsaires) das Unternehmen Corsair Memory die Fluggesellschaft des TUI Konzerns Corsairfly das amerikanische Militärflugzeug Chance Vought F4U… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Corsair — Cor sair (k?r s?r), n. [F. corsaire (cf. It. corsare, corsale, Pr. corsari), LL. corsarius, fr. L. cursus a running, course, whence Sp. corso cruise, corsa cruise, coasting voyage, corsear to cruise against the enemy, to pirate, corsario cruising …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • corsair — (n.) 1540s, from M.Fr. corsaire (15c.), from Prov. cursar, It. corsaro, from M.L. cursarius pirate, from L. cursus course, a running, from currere to run (see CURRENT (Cf. current)). Meaning of the Medieval Latin verb evolved from course to… …   Etymology dictionary

  • corsair — *pirate, freebooter, buccaneer, privateer …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • corsair — ► NOUN 1) archaic a pirate. 2) historical a privateer, especially one operating along the southern shore of the Mediterranean. ORIGIN French corsaire, from Latin cursus a raid, plunder …   English terms dictionary

  • corsair — [kôr′ser΄, kôr ser′] n. [Fr corsaire < Prov corsar < It corsaro < ML cursarius, pirate, orig. swift < L cursus,COURSE] 1. a privateer, esp. of Barbary 2. a pirate 3. a pirate ship …   English World dictionary

  • Corsair — For other uses, see Corsair (disambiguation). Cossacks of Azov boarding the Turkish corsairs. Corsairs (French: corsaire) were privateers, authorized to conduct raids on shipping of a nation at war with France …   Wikipedia

  • Corsair — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Corsair », sur le Wiktionnaire (dictionnaire universel) Corsairfly, anciennement Corsair, compagnie… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • corsair — UK [ˈkɔː(r)seə(r)] / US [ˈkɔrˌser] noun [countable] Word forms corsair : singular corsair plural corsairs an old word for a pirate …   English dictionary

  • corsair — noun /ˈkɔːsɛː/ a) A French privateer, especially from the port of St Malo 1840 If I had been born a corsair or a pirate, a brigand, genteel highwayman or patriot and theyre the same thing, thought Mr. Tappertit, musing among the nine pins, I… …   Wiktionary

  • corsair — [15] Etymologically, a corsair is someone who goes on a ‘course’. Latin cursus (source of English course) was a derivative of Latin currere ‘run’, and meant originally a ‘run’. From this it developed to ‘journey’ and ‘expedition’ to ‘hostile or… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”