Replica of El Galeón, a 17th-century Spanish galleon in Quebec City. (Photo credit: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Definition

Noun

  • A large sailing ship of the 16th to 18th centuries.

Origin

From the Old French, galion, and back to Latin, galea, meaning galley.

Comments

Galleons are characterized by a curved, high poop deck and afterstructure, a high forecastle, and a pronounced beakhead. Galleons developed from carracks, but had less pronounced forecastles. This actually made these vessels more maneuverable in high winds. After their introduction in England, they made their way to Spain, originally as warships, but eventually became the principal trading ships of the Spanish.

References

Kemp, P. (1994). The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. Oxford University Press.

King, D., Hattendorf, J.B, & Estes, J.W. (1997). A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O’Brian’s Seafaring Tales (2nd Ed.). Owl Books.

Rogers, J.G. (1985). Origins of Sea Terms. Mystic Seaport.