What is "privateers"

Usage examples of "privateers".

Half the pirates and three-quarters of the privateers roaming Silesian space were probably running on faked transponder IDs.

He addressed the matter of prizes taken at sea by American privateers, and gave all possible attention to the vexing issue of what to do about American prisoners of war held by the British and those British prisoners taken on the high seas who were being held in France.

With authorization from the Republic of France, French privateers continued to prey on the American merchant fleet at will and there was no way to stop them.