A buccaneer was a type of pirate who operated in the Caribbean Sea during the 1600s and 1700s. While all buccaneers were pirates, not all pirates were buccaneers: the term specifically refers to the adventurers and sea raiders who attacked Spanish ships and settlements in the West Indies during this period.

Early buccaneers were hunters on Caribbean islands who preserved meat on wooden frames before they turned to piracy. Eventually, these rough sailors began raiding Spanish treasure ships loaded with gold and silver from the Americas. Some buccaneers even had unofficial permission from countries like England and France to attack Spanish vessels, which made them different from other pirates.

Famous buccaneers like Henry Morgan led daring raids on Spanish colonial cities, sometimes commanding fleets of ships and hundreds of men. They followed their own codes of conduct, dividing treasure according to agreed-upon rules and electing their captains.

Today, the word evokes adventure and daring, though real buccaneers lived dangerous, often brutal lives. Several sports teams use “buccaneers” as their nickname, drawing on the image of bold, fearless raiders of the high seas.