Carrack
/ˈkærək/noun
A large, high-sided sailing ship used especially by Europeans in the 14th to 16th centuries.
Did you know?Carrack ultimately comes through medieval Romance and Arabic trade networks, showing how the very name of a ship can preserve the hidden routes of commerce, war, and cultural exchange.
Etymological Timeline
Late 13th Century
Medieval Latin
carraca
“a large ship”
13th-14th Century
Old French
caraque
“a large merchant ship”
13th-14th Century
Spanish/Portuguese
carraca
“a large ship”
14th Century
English
carrack
“a large sailing ship”
Earlier Arabic (source debated)
Arabic
qarqūr / qarāqir
“a type of ship or large vessel”