galleon

noun

gal·​le·​on ˈga-lē-ən 

: a heavy square-rigged sailing ship of the 15th to early 18th centuries used for war or commerce especially by the Spanish

Illustration of galleon

Examples of galleon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The present day’s global aristocrats invade Miami for Art Week not by galleon under the power of sail, but by private jet under the power of fossil fuel. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

The masts and sails of Galanin’s galleon evoke a decisive moment, symbolizing a point of no return, where past actions force a commitment to a new, uncertain future. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

History buffs will delight in Punta Arenas’s maritime museum and life-size replicas of the storied European galleons that once navigated to these remote shores. —Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2024

This year's installation features a Spanish galleon emerging from under the sand by artist Nicholas Galanin. —Martin Vassolo, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from Italian galeone, galione (later reinforced by Spanish galeón, probably borrowed from Italian), from galea galley + -one, augmentative suffix

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

galleon

noun

gal·​le·​on ˈgal-ē-ən 

: a large sailing ship with square sails used from the 1400s to the 1700s especially by the Spanish