carrack
or car·ack
[ kar-uh k ]
/ ˈkær ək /
|
noun
a merchant vessel having various rigs, used especially by Mediterranean countries in the 15th and 16th centuries; galleon.
Nearby words
carpostome, carpsucker, carpus, carr, carracci, carrack, carrageen, carrageenan, carrantuohill, carranza, carranza, venustiano
Origin of carrack
1350–1400; Middle English carrake < Middle French carraque < Spanish carraca, perhaps back formation from Arabic qarāqīr (plural of qurqūr ship of burden < Greek kérkouros), the -īr being taken as plural ending
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for carrack
British Dictionary definitions for carrack
carrack
/ (ˈkærək) /
noun
a galleon sailed in the Mediterranean as a merchantman in the 15th and 16th centuries
Word Origin for carrack
C14: from Old French caraque, from Old Spanish carraca, from Arabic qarāqīr merchant ships
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for carrack
carrack
merchant ship, late 14c., from Old French caraque "large, square-rigged sailing vessel," from Spanish carraca, related to Medieval Latin carraca, Italian caracca, all of uncertain origin, perhaps from Arabic qaraqir, plural of qurqur "merchant ship." The Arabic word perhaps was from Latin carricare (see charge (v.)) or Greek karkouros "boat, pinnacle."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper