galleon

noun

gal·​le·​on ˈga-lē-ən 

: a heavy square-rigged sailing ship of the 15th to early 18th centuries used for war or commerce especially by the Spanish

Illustration of galleon

Examples of galleon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Brown-Taher, who founded Renna in 2019, said the brand has been working with Garrod for a while, and was eager to have her design the cresting waves, long-haired mermaids and galleon-style sailing ships that adorn the space. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 9 July 2026

The Spanish, who had at first just flitted along the coast in their galleons, had begun marching inland and overland from Mexico with crosses and soldiers and soldiers’ families. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Arquiste’s best-selling Nanban, for instance, conjures the aroma of a 17th-century galleon laden with coffee, leather, and saffron, while L’Or de Louis evokes the atmosphere of an orangerie at Versailles. — April Long, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026

Back in its heyday as Europe's biggest medieval shipyard, the Arsenale could churn out a galleon per day. — Julia Buckley, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from Italian galeone, galione (later reinforced by Spanish galeón, probably borrowed from Italian), from galea galley + -one, augmentative suffix

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

galleon

noun

gal·​le·​on ˈgal-ē-ən 

: a large sailing ship with square sails used from the 1400s to the 1700s especially by the Spanish