galleon
/'gæliən/
Học thuậtThân thiện
A Spanish galleon sails across the open sea with its sails billowing in the wind.
Definition
- Noun:
- A galleon is a large, multi-decked sailing ship with three or more masts, square-rigged on the foremast and mainmast and lateen-rigged on the mizzenmast. It was primarily used by European states, especially Spain, from the 16th to the 18th centuries for both transoceanic trade and naval warfare.
Usage
- The word galleon is used to refer specifically to this historical type of vessel. It often evokes images of treasure fleets, exploration, and naval battles.
- It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , , ).
Examples
- Noun:
- The Spanish galleon was laden with silver from the New World.
- Museums sometimes display models of 17th-century galleons.
- The English fleet engaged the Spanish galleons in a fierce battle.
Advanced Usage
- "Treasure galleon": A common collocation emphasizing the ship's role in transporting precious metals and goods.
- Divers searched the seabed for the wreck of a lost treasure galleon.
Variants and Related Words
- Galleon does not have common verb or adjective forms. It is primarily a noun.
- Ship (n): A general term for a large seagoing vessel.
- Man-of-war (n): A term for a powerful warship from the age of sail.
- Carrack (n): A precursor to the galleon, a large merchant ship used in the 14th-15th centuries.
Synonyms
- Ship: (General term)
- Vessel: (General, more formal term)
- Man-of-war: (Specifically a warship)
Related Phrases
- Galleon is not typically used in phrasal verbs.
Related Idioms
- There are no common idioms that feature the word galleon specifically.
A Spanish galleon sails across the open sea with its sails billowing in the wind.
Noun
- a large square-rigged sailing ship with three or more masts; used by the Spanish for commerce and war from the 15th to 18th centuries