galleon

American  

[gal-ee-uhn, gal-yuhn] / ˈgæl i ən, ˈgæl yən /

noun

1. a large sailing vessel of the 15th to the 17th centuries used as a fighting or merchant ship, square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast and generally lateen-rigged on one or two after masts.

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galleon British  

/ ˈɡælɪən /

noun

1. nautical a large sailing ship having three or more masts, lateen-rigged on the after masts and square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast, used as a warship or trader from the 15th to the 18th centuries

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Etymology

Origin of galleon

1520–30; < Spanish galeón, augmentative of galea galley

Explanation

Though a galleon was a large ship with multiple decks, it was no cruise liner and probably didn’t offer round-the-clock buffets. A galleon refers to a type of sailboat used in the 15th to 18th centuries mostly for battles and carrying consumer goods. Galleons had big square sails rigged onto several masts. They were built and sailed by many Europeans, but they are most commonly associated with the Spanish. In fact, this word is derived from the Spanish word galeón, which means “armed merchant ship.”

Example Sentences

Artefacts from voyages line exhibits surrounding the vessel, including part of a Chinese tomb that once served as ballast in the hold of a galleon.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Sunk in 1708, the galleon San José attained legendary status.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

A Spanish galleon, the San José, was sunk by the British off the coast of Colombia more than 300 years ago.

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2024

“When you’re following it, you can hear it creaking so it sounds like an old galleon going along,” said Martin Oates, who helped restore it and walks behind as the brake man.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 9, 2023

Still, he was alive, and the wind was in his hair, and the cloud was scudding through the sky like a galleon at full sail.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

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