freebooter

From free +‎ booty +‎ -er. Calque of Dutch vrijbuiter (literally “free booty-er”), from vrij (“free”) + buit (“booty”) + -er (occupational suffix). Doublet of filibuster.

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɹiːbuːtə(ɹ)/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

freebooter (plural freebooters)

1. An adventurer who pillages, plunders, or thieves privately or for compensation; or wages ad-hoc war on other nations, similar to mercenary; also a "freeboot".
   • 1901 May 10, G. H. Davies, “Forest in War”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record‎^[1], volume 4, number 5, page 142:

     The military aspect should, however, be carefully studied, as the result may be to dispel the time-honoured connection between forest and freebooter under modern conditions with long-range rifles.

2. One who rehosts online media without authorization, a form of intellectual property theft; one who freeboots.

• pirate, see also Thesaurus:pirate
• mercenary, see also Thesaurus:mercenary
• conquistador, filibuster

• privateer

• freebooting

• filibuster