a privately owned vessel armed with guns which operated in time of war against the trading vessels of an enemy nation. Each privateer was given a a 'letter of marque' which was regarded as a commission to seize any enemy shipping as a 'prize'. The name 'privateer' has come to refer to both the ship and the men who sailed in her.

Privately owned and officered warship which has been given permission from the government to act in war.

This is a pirate who was loyal to the government of a particular country and sailed under Letters of Marque (see above).

A privately owned vessel armed and equipped at the owner’s expense, for the purpose of carrying on a maritime war by the authority of one of the belligerent parties. The privateer was authorized to appropriate captured property. The men who sailed on one of the vessels were also called privateers.

and armed vessel (or commander and crew of that vessel) which was authorized by a commission or "letter of marquee" from the government to capture the merchant vessels of an enemy nation.

an officer or crew member of a privateer

a privately owned warship commissioned to prey on the commercial shipping or warships of an enemy nation

a crew member of a privately owned ship used in war to capture enemy ships

an armed private ship commissioned by belligerent sovereign to depredate on the commerce of his enemy, and rewarded by a share of the capture, which in recent times has amounted nearly to the whole of it

a private citizen who carries government documents authorizing him to attack the ships of a specific nation, while a pirate is a private citizen who attacks the ships of any nation

a privately financed, owned, outfitted, crewed, and operated armed vessel -- a private warship -- allowed forth under government license to attack the vessels of a declared national enemy, for profit

a private ship (or its owner) authorized by a country'sgovernment to attack and seize cargo from another country's ships

A privately-owned ship authorized by the government to attack ships from another country; or the owner of such a ship.

A person or private vessel intent on raiding enemy shipping in wartime for the purpose of making a profit from the sale of captured ships, including whatever cargo would be onboard. A privateer could be described as a commissioned pirate. Dangerous business all-around, often a privateer would mistake a 'friendly' ship for fair game with the consequence of rapidly being 'promoted' from privateer to pirate. Examples of privateers

A privateer is a private attack/raid ship working for a country, or a person working on that ship. Privateers were licensed to attack and take ships from countries at war with the sponsoring country.

A person who owns a ship and has a licence from the ruler of a country to attack the ships of other countries. In peacetime, it is a form of legal piracy.

A privately-owned ship authorised by a national power (by means of a Letter of Marque) to conduct hostilities against an enemy. Also called a private man of war.

one bearing Letters of Marque, also refers to the ship he sails.

a privately owned ship authorised by a national power to conduct hostilities against an enemy (also called a Letter of Marque or a Private man of war).

An armed vessel owned and officered by private individuals holding a government commission and authorized for war service.

A privateer was a private ship (or its captain) authorized by a country's government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping. Strictly, a privateer was only entitled to attack enemy vessels during wartime. However, states often encouraged attacks on opposing powers while at peace, or on neutral vessels during time of war, blurring the line between privateering and piracy.