A fast, two-masted sailing ship popular from the 15th to 19th centuries, often used for piracy and privateering because it was quick and maneuverable.
From Italian brigantino, originally from brigante 'brigand' or 'soldier.' The ship was named after the light-armed brigand soldiers because it was swift and agile like they were. The connection to brigands reflects the ship's early association with pirates and raiders.
Pirates loved brigantines because they combined the cargo space of larger ships with the speed and agility of smaller boats—the ship design was literally optimized for escaping from naval authorities, making it the getaway car of the 17th-century seas.
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