corsair: [15] Etymologically, a corsair is someone who goes on a ‘course’. Latin cursus (source of English course) was a derivative of Latin currere ‘run’, and meant originally a ‘run’. From this it developed to ‘journey’ and ‘expedition’ to ‘hostile or predatory expedition’, and eventually to the proceeds of such a raid, the ‘plunder’ or ‘booty’. In medieval Latin the term cursārius was derived from it to denote someone who took part in such raids, and this passed into English via Old Italian corsaro, Provençal corsari, and Old French corsaire. => course, hussar
1540s, from Middle French corsaire (15c.), from Provençal cursar, Italian corsaro, from Medieval Latin cursarius "pirate," from Latin cursus "course, a running," from currere "to run" (see current (adj.)). Meaning of the Medieval Latin verb evolved from "course" to "journey" to "expedition" to an expedition specifically for plunder.
双语例句
1. Xebecs have a history of being corsair ships and they were often seen in the Mediterranean.
历史上它们常被作为海盗船只并且频繁的在地中海一带活动.
来自互联网
2. It is said that 14,000 copies of The Corsair were sold in a day.
