ETYM French boucanier, from boucaner to smoke or broil meat and fish, to hunt wild beasts for their skins, boucan a smoking place for meat or fish, gridiron for smoking: a word of American origin.
1. A pirate, especially during the 17th century.
2. An adventurer.
Member of any of various groups of seafarers who plundered Spanish ships and colonies on the Spanish American coast in the 17th century. Unlike true pirates, they were acting on (sometimes spurious) commission.

ETYM Latin pirata, Greek peiran to attempt, undertake.
1. A ship manned by pirates; SYN. pirate ship.
2. Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without having a commission from any sovereign nation; SYN. buccaneer, sea robber, sea rover.