CultureAugust 14, 2026
galleon
GAL-ee-un
Definition
A large, heavy, square-rigged sailing ship with three or more masts, used primarily by European nations from the 15th to the 18th century as both a warship and a merchant vessel.
Etymology
Derived from the Old French 'galion' and Spanish 'galeón', which originally referred to a type of warship. The term likely traces back to the Medieval Greek 'galea', a word for a galley ship.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the type of ship Spanish navigator Luis Vaéz de Torres commanded while sailing through the treacherous waters of the Torres Strait in 1606.
Almost 35 years after the Mabo decision, a daughter honours her father
Read the full article ↗SMH.com.au