How to Pronounce Pirate

To pronounce "pirate", say PIR-at-e — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈpaɪ̯(ə)ɹət/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

pirate

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Accent

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3

Syllables

6

Letters

/ˈpaɪ̯(ə)ɹət/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “pirate”

"pirate" has 3 syllables: pir-at-e.

What does pirate mean?

noun

  1. A criminal who plunders at sea; commonly attacking merchant vessels, though often pillaging port towns.

    “You should be cautious due to the Somali pirates.”

  2. An armed ship or vessel that sails for the purpose of plundering other vessels.

verb

  1. To appropriate by piracy, plunder at sea.

    “They pirated the tanker and sailed to a port where they could sell the ship and cargo.”

  2. (intellectual property) To create and/or sell an unauthorized copy of

adjective

  1. Illegally imitated or reproduced, said of a trademarked product or copyrighted work, or of the counterfeit itself.

Synonyms

bootleggerbuccaneercorsaircounterfeitplagiarizepirated

Related words

buccaneerhighjackhijackcommandeerexpropriateplagiarist

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "pirate"?▾

"Pirate" has 3 syllables: pir · at · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "pirate"?▾

The IPA transcription of "pirate" is /ˈpaɪ̯(ə)ɹət/.

What does "pirate" mean?▾

Pirate: A criminal who plunders at sea; commonly attacking merchant vessels, though often pillaging port towns.

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