Origin: Latin suffix -ate
Pirate has 9 different meanings across 2 categories:
someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own
"The journalist was accused of being a pirate when he published an article that stole directly from her unpublished manuscript without credit."
someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without having a commission from any sovereign nation
"The notorious pirate boarded the merchant ship to plunder its cargo and rob the crew while sailing in international waters."
a ship that is manned by pirates
"The notorious pirate was eventually captured after boarding their own vessel."
A criminal who plunders at sea; commonly attacking merchant vessels, though often pillaging port towns.
"As a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirate fan, I attended every game at PNC Park last season."
someone connected with any of a number of sports teams known as the Pirates, as a fan, player, coach etc.
In plain English: A pirate is someone who steals from ships at sea and keeps their loot for themselves.
"The pirate sailed his ship across the ocean looking for treasure."
Usage: Use "pirate" as a noun to refer specifically to a sailor who illegally attacks ships or ports for loot and ransom. When describing modern copyright violations, the term applies only to individuals or groups stealing digital content, not merely those selling unauthorized copies.
copy illegally; of published material
"The software company issued an urgent warning after discovering that their new game had been pirated across multiple file-sharing sites."
take arbitrarily or by force
"The Cubans commandeered the plane and flew it to Miami"
To appropriate by piracy, plunder at sea.
"The notorious pirate boarded the merchant vessel to plunder its cargo of spices and gold."
In plain English: To pirate something means to steal it illegally from its rightful owner, especially digital content like music or movies.
"The pirate broadcast their music illegally without paying any licensing fees to the station owners."
Illegally imitated or reproduced, said of a trademarked product or copyrighted work, or of the counterfeit itself.
"The store owner was fined after selling pirate copies of the latest video game."
In plain English: Pirate describes something that is stolen illegally from its rightful owner, especially when it comes to digital files or software.
"The pirate movie was full of swashbuckling action and treasure hunts on high seas."
The word pirate entered Middle English via Old French and Latin, ultimately tracing back to Ancient Greek peiratēs, meaning one who makes a trial or attempt. It replaced the native Old English term wīċing, which had previously been used for both pirates and Vikings.