How to Pronounce Pirates

To pronounce "pirates", say PIR-at-es — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈpaɪɹəts/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

pirates

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Accent

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3

Syllables

7

Letters

/ˈpaɪɹəts/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “pirates”

"pirates" has 3 syllables: pir-at-es.

What does pirates 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

Synonyms

bootleggerbuccaneercorsaircounterfeitplagiarize

Related words

buccaneerhighjackhijackcommandeerexpropriateplagiarist

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "pirates"?▾

"Pirates" has 3 syllables: pir · at · es.

What is the IPA transcription of "pirates"?▾

The IPA transcription of "pirates" is /ˈpaɪɹəts/.

What does "pirates" mean?▾

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

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