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

Colombian researchers located the galleon in 2015, leading to legal and diplomatic disputes. —CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025

The artifacts are the first treasures to be recovered from the wreckage of the San José, a Spanish galleon that was sunk by the British Royal Navy in the Caribbean more than 300 years ago. —Michael Rios, CNN Money, 20 Nov. 2025

Throughout it there are forts, full-size wooden galleons and signs hung on what appear to be Persian rugs. —Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

One key focus is the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade route, which linked Asia and the Americas for 250 years, from 1565 to 1815. —Stephen Acabado, The Conversation, 21 July 2025

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