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galleon

galleon

7 9.5
A large sailing ship with three or more masts used to carry goods and people in the 1500s to 1700s
  • noun
  • /ˈɡæliən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : galeón
  • The explorer stood on the shore, gazing at the majestic galleon anchored in the bay.
  • Manila galleons
  • galleon trade
  • Spanish galleon

Examples

  • Looks like there's a Spanish galleon out there headed toward the mainland.

  • I'll go into the galleon for a closer look.

  • The combined power of your keys and the galleon will see you through safely.

  • Six years below decks on a Spanish galleon.

  • A government was organized, the Church was established, and soon trading galleons were annually plying the Pacific between the Philippines and Mexico.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The cost isn't light, but then, we're talking about a fine lady of the sea, a galleon that made this trip to Chult a dozen times and a captain that made it a dozen more.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • We're sailing on the high seas aboard a galleon, captained by the villainous Lord Pomfrey.

  • For more than 20 years, legendary shipwreck-seeker Mel Fisher searched for Spanish galleons off the coast of Florida before finding the gold-laden Nuestra Senora de Atocha in 1985.

    Academic text (2007)
  • During the 17th century, a Spanish galleon would often carry precious cargo from the New World.

  • In the distance, a fleet of galleons could be seen, their sails billowing in the wind.

Synonyms

ship
vsgalleon
1.0

A large boat that carries people or goods across the sea

is a specialised, historically armed sailing type rather than a general vessel
sailing ship
vsgalleon
7 2.9

A large ship moved by sails, usually with more than one mast

is square rigged with three or more masts and used historically for trade and war
carrack
vsgalleon
  • Archaic
9.9

A large sailing ship with three or four masts used for trade from the 15th to 17th centuries

is fitted for combat and used for both trade and war by Spain

How Big

galleon
  • Archaic
7 9.5
ship
1.0
boat
1.0
dinghy
18 4.8

Surface Forms

galleon singular
galleons plural

Etymology

Galleon comes from an older word galley, which meant a 'ship', with an ending that made it sound like a bigger, stronger vessel. That's why galleon now means the large, many‑masted sailing ships Spain used for trade and war.