Word Study
galleon
CIDE DICTIONARY
galleon, n. [Sp. galeon, cf. F. galion; fr. LL. galeo, galio. See Galley.].
A sailing vessel of the 15th and following centuries, often having three or four decks, and used for war or commerce. The term is often rather indiscriminately applied to any large sailing vessel. [1913 Webster]
"The galleons . . . were huge, round-stemmed, clumsy vessels, with bulwarks three or four feet thick, and built up at stem and stern, like castles." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
galleon, n. hist.
1 a ship of war (usu. Spanish).
2 a large Spanish ship used in American trade.
3 a vessel shorter and higher than a galley.
1 a ship of war (usu. Spanish).
2 a large Spanish ship used in American trade.
3 a vessel shorter and higher than a galley.
Etymology
MDu. galjoen f. F galion f. galie galley, or f. Sp. gale{oacute}n
THESAURUS
galleon
bark, bawley, bilander, brig, brigantine, bully, buss, caravel, cat, catamaran, clipper, corsair, corvette, cutter, dandy, dhow, dromond, fishing smack, flattie, four-masted bark, four-master, frigate, galiot, galleass, hooker, hoy, ice yacht, junk, keelboat, ketch, knockabout, lateen, lateener, lorcha, lugger, nobby, ocean racer, outrigger, pilot boat, pinnace, piragua, pirogue, pram, pungy, racing yacht, rigger, sailing auxiliary, sailing canoe, sailing dinghy, sailing packet, sailing trawler, sampan, sandbagger, schooner, scooter, shallop, sharpie, shipentine, skipjack, sloop, smack, smack boat, snow, tartan, topsail schooner, trimaran, well smack, whaler, wool-clipper, xebec, yacht, yawlROGET THESAURUS
galleon
Ship
N ship, vessel, sail, craft, bottom, navy, marine, fleet, flotilla, shipping, man of war, transport, tender, storeship, merchant ship, merchantman, packet, liner, whaler, slaver, collier, coaster, lighter, fishing boat, pilot boat, trawler, hulk, yacht, baggala, floating hotel, floating palace, ocean greyhound, ship, bark, barque, brig, snow, hermaphrodite brig, brigantine, barkantine, schooner, topsail schooner, for and aft schooner, three masted schooner, chasse-maree, sloop, cutter, corvette, clipper, foist, yawl, dandy, ketch, smack, lugger, barge, hoy, cat, buss, sailer, sailing vessel, windjammer, steamer, steamboat, steamship, liner, ocean liner, cruiseship, ship of the line, mail steamer, paddle steamer, screw steamer, tug, line of steamers, destroyer, cruiser, frigate, landing ship, LST, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, nuclear powered carrier, submarine, submersible, atomic submarine, boat, pinnace, launch, life boat, long boat, jolly boat, bum boat, fly boat, cock boat, ferry boat, canal boat, swamp boat, ark, bully, battery, bateau, broadhorn, dory, droger, drogher, dugout, durham boat, flatboat, galiot, shallop, gig, funny, skiff, dingy, scow, cockleshell, wherry, coble, punt, cog, kedge, lerret, eight oar, four oar, pair oar, randan, outrigger, float, raft, pontoon, prame, iceboat, ice canoe, ice yacht, catamaran, hydroplane, hovercraft, coracle, gondola, carvel, caravel, felucca, caique, canoe, birch bark canoe, dugout canoe, galley, galleyfoist, bilander, dogger, hooker, howker, argosy, carack, galliass, galleon, polacca, polacre, tartane, junk, lorcha, praam, proa, prahu, saick, sampan, xebec, dhow, dahabeah, nuggah, kayak, keel boat, log canoe, pirogue, quadrireme, trireme, stern-wheeler, wanigan, wangan, wharf boat, balloon, airship, aeroplane, biplane, monoplane, triplane, hydroplane, aerodrome, air balloon, pilot balloon, fire balloon, dirigible, zeppelin, aerostat, Montgolfier, kite, parachute, jet plane, rocket plane, jet liner, turbojet, prop-jet, propeller plane, corporate plane, corporate jet, private plane, private aviation, airline, common carrier, fighter, bomber, fighter-bomber, escort plane, spy plane, supersonic aircraft, subsonic aircraft, afloat, aboard, on board, on ship board, hard a lee, hard a port, hard a starboard, hard a weather.For further exploring for "galleon" in Webster Dictionary Online