Freebootery

/ˈfriːbuːtəri/ noun

Definition

The act or practice of plundering, piracy, or unauthorized military adventuring for personal profit without official sanction.

Etymology

From 'freebooter' + '-ery' (a suffix meaning the practice or profession of something). The '-ery' suffix comes from Old French and indicates a group activity or trade.

Kelly Says

Freebootery bridged the gap between outright piracy and legitimate privateering—it represented an entire economy of violence that existed in the gaps between state control, especially in the colonial Caribbean.

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