1. a person who engages in piracy or plundering, especially at sea
Usage: historical; nautical

Examples

• The Caribbean was once filled with freebooters seeking Spanish treasure ships.
• Sir Francis Drake was considered a hero by the English but a freebooter by the Spanish.
• The freebooter’s ship was loaded with stolen gold and silver.
• Many freebooters operated from hidden bases on remote islands.
• The governor offered a reward for the capture of the notorious freebooter.
• Historical novels often romanticize the life of the freebooter on the high seas.