Filibuster

Today, its meaning is largely restricted to America where it is a verb or noun describing the practice of obstructing legislation or someone who does so. The word itself dates from the late 16th century and derives from the Dutch vrijbuiter meaning freebooter or pirate. This in turn evolved into the French flibustier which was eventually anglicised into filibuster. Filibuster was originally used in English to describe the piracy and lawlessness that pervaded the Spanish Main during the 1600s.