Galeas
/ˈɡeɪliəs/noun
An obsolete term for a large galley or warship, especially a galleass.
Did you know?The word belongs to the same medieval nautical family that produced galleass and reflects how Mediterranean shipbuilding vocabulary spread across European languages.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
γαλέα (galea)
“A type of galley or warship; the word may also have referred to a shark, though the connection is uncertain.”
Late Latin
Latin
galea
“A light galley or warship; separately, galea meant a helmet.”
Medieval Italian
Italian
galea
“Galley, a long oared Mediterranean vessel.”
15th Century
Italian
galeazza
“Large galley; an augmentative form meaning essentially “big galley.””
16th Century
English
galeas
“A large galley or warship, an early variant of galleass.”
Modern English
English
galeas
“An obsolete or historical term for a large galley, chiefly encountered in historical writing.”