William Dampier (baptised 5 September 1651; died March 1715) was an English explorer, pirate, privateer, navigator, and naturalist who became the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia, and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. He has also been described as Australia’s first natural historian, as well as one of the most important British explorers of the period between Sir Walter Raleigh and James Cook. His expeditions were the among first to identify and name a number of plants, animals, foods, and cooking techniques for an European audience; being among the first English writers to use words such as avocado, barbecue, and chopsticks.