caravel

noun

car·​a·​vel ˈker-ə-ˌvel 

ˈka-rə-,

-vəl

: any of several sailing ships

specifically : a small 15th and 16th century ship that has broad bows, high narrow poop, and usually three masts with lateen or both square and lateen sails

Illustration of caravel

Examples of caravel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But what of those murals glorifying European colonization, with Christopher Columbus sweeping down from the sky in a caravel to find half-naked Native Americans? —New York Times, 25 May 2021

More than that, though, the Portuguese were carrying on their wooden caravels an entirely unfamiliar culture from those the Chinese had previously met. —Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 6 June 2020

Spanish caravels and a viking longboat, a moving sidewalk, the first Ferris wheel — along with people and cultures from around the globe — all turned Jackson Park and the Midway Plaisance into the world’s museum. —Charles J. Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 28 June 2019

In Europe, however, small and scrappy Portugal did build small ships called caravels that could explore the African coast and later the Atlantic Ocean. —Lee Roop, AL.com, 14 Mar. 2018

This caravel gave me a strange sense of peace and the feeling that there is always a story to tell, a place where to return. —Andrew Katz, TIME.com, 17 July 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle French caravelle, from Old Portuguese caravela

First Known Use

1527, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

caravel

noun

car·​a·​vel ˈkar-ə-ˌvel 

-vəl

: a small 15th and 16th century ship with a broad bow, a high stern, and usually three masts