pirates
Skull-and-crossbones sailors
Pirates are people who rob ships at sea, or who attack coastal settlements from the water.
The term extends to anyone who takes or uses something without authorization—especially copyrighted material: software pirates, music piracy.
To pirate is to copy or distribute illegally: The movie was pirated before its theatrical release.
A pirate radio station broadcasts without a license.
Wind-propelled water travel
- seafaringTraveling by ocean vessel
- nauticalOf ships and sailing
- oceanMassive saltwater body
- galleonLarge historical sailing ship
brigantine · schooner · frigate · sloop · corsair · buccaneer · mariner · crew
Legendary period of perfection
- CaribbeanTropical Atlantic region
- Spanish MainColonial Caribbean coast and sea
- Barbary CoastHistoric pirate-infested African shoreline
- Port RoyalDrowned Caribbean pirate capital
privateers · corsairs · Blackbeard · Captain Kidd · Henry Morgan · Age of Sail · colonialism · East India Company
Stolen valuables
- bootyStolen valuables, especially treasure
- spoilsSeized war gains
- pillageViolent theft of goods
- raidSudden armed incursion
ransack · maraud · plundering · raiding · boarding · capture · seize · ransom
Flamboyantly daring and heroic
- questSeeking journey for something
- voyageJourney by sea
- escapadeReckless, exciting adventure
- legendUnverified traditional tale
tale · fantasy · mythology · treasure hunt · high seas · Treasure Island · Peter Pan · Captain Hook
Element seventy-nine
- doubloonsHistorical Spanish gold currency
- pieces of eightOld Spanish coinage
- jewelsOrnamental precious stones
- gemsCut precious stones
chest · hoard · buried treasure · treasure map · X marks the spot · cache · riches · bounty
sailing
Wind-propelled water travel
galleon · brigantine · schooner · frigate · sloop · corsair · buccaneer · mariner · crew · Jolly Roger
Golden Age
Legendary period of perfection
- CaribbeanTropical Atlantic region
- Spanish MainColonial Caribbean coast and sea
- Barbary CoastHistoric pirate-infested African shoreline
Port Royal · privateers · corsairs · Blackbeard · Captain Kidd · Henry Morgan · Age of Sail · colonialism · East India Company · letters of marque
loot
Stolen valuables
raid · ransack · maraud · plundering · raiding · boarding · capture · seize · ransom · hostage
swashbuckling
Flamboyantly daring and heroic
legend · tale · fantasy · mythology · treasure hunt · high seas · Treasure Island · Peter Pan · Captain Hook · Jack Sparrow
gold
Element seventy-nine
- doubloonsHistorical Spanish gold currency
- pieces of eightOld Spanish coinage
- jewelsOrnamental precious stones
gems · chest · hoard · buried treasure · treasure map · X marks the spot · cache · riches · bounty · fortune
brigand
Armed robber, often rural
criminal · rogue · scoundrel · villain · highwayman · fugitive · lawless · wanted · hanging · gallows
wreck
Destroyed vessel or vehicle
- salvageRecovering damaged goods
- sunkenDescended beneath water level
- flotsamDebris from wrecked vessels
jetsam · reef · founder · scuttle · wreckage · debris · underwater · diving · recovery · lost ships
- maritimeships, ship, boat, boats, anchors
- family entertainmentanimated films, cartoons, G-rated, happy endings, happily ever after
- kids' stufftoys, games, cartoons, dolls, dinosaurs
- maritime historysailors, ships, seamen, sailing ships, celestial navigation
- nauticalanchor, anchor chain, anchors, boat, boats
- adventure fictiontreasure hunts, shipwrecks, sea voyages, exploration, lost worlds
piratesnaval officers
Commissioned maritime military leaders
coast guard · navy · naval patrol · admiralty · customs officers
piratesmerchant ships
Vessels for transporting goods
victims · merchant sailors · merchantmen · prey · defenders
piratessubscribers
Those enrolled for content
copyright holders · content creators · licensees · purchasers
- pirate shipSeafaring raiders' vessel
- pirate treasureStolen riches from ships
- pirate radioUnauthorized FM or AM transmission
- pirate hatTriangular corsair headgear
- pirate flagMaritime marauder's banner
- pirated musicUnlicensed copied recordings