Galleon
/ˈɡæl.i.ən/noun
A large sailing ship used especially by Spain and other European powers from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries.
Did you know?Spanish galleons linked the Americas and Asia in the Manila-Acapulco trade, transporting silver across the Pacific and helping create one of history’s first global commercial networks.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
γαλέα (galea)
“A type of galley or oared warship; the word’s deeper origin is uncertain.”
Late Latin
Latin
galea
“A galley or light warship, also associated with the Greek nautical term.”
Medieval French
Old French
galie
“A galley, an oared vessel used for warfare and trade.”
15th Century
French
galion
“A larger or specialized galley; formed with an augmentative suffix.”
16th Century
Spanish
galeón
“A large sailing vessel, especially one used for war or long-distance commerce.”
16th Century
English
galleon
“A large Spanish-style sailing ship, later used more broadly for similar vessels.”