galley

noun

gal·​ley ˈga-lē How to pronounce galley (audio)
plural galleys
1
: a ship or boat propelled solely or chiefly by oars: such as
a
: a long low ship used for war and trading especially in the Mediterranean Sea from the Middle Ages to the 19th century
also : galleass
b
: a warship of classical antiquity compare bireme, trireme
c
: a large open boat (such as a gig) formerly used in England
2
: the kitchen and cooking apparatus especially of a ship or airplane
3
a
: an oblong tray to hold especially a single column of set type
b
: a proof of typeset matter especially in a single column before being made into pages

Illustration of galley

Illustration of galley
  • galley 1a

Examples of galley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The latter version also has a spacious office connected to the galley, as the owner plans to work aboard the yacht. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023 The aft of the main deck is home to a galley and a saloon with a separate lounge and dining area. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 14 Nov. 2023 And that's not to mention the annoyance of the proximity to the lavatory and galley. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2023 So, on that wall outside of the galley, there evolved a narrative where people were trying to mount rescue missions, and there were sign up sheets for that. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Oct. 2023 This includes the sundeck, which was extended by 108 square feet, a second pool, pop-up tables for alfresco dining, and an outdoor galley with a bar made from the largest slab of backlit black agate found on any yacht. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2023 Consider a glossy black tiled kitchen nook like the one designer Nannette Brown created for this moody galley kitchen in a New York apartment. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 8 June 2023 The four-bedroom, two-bath house is equipped with a vast great room and an über-modern stainless steel galley kitchen. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2023 On board, a long, curved, six-seater polished wooden bench lines the deck; a small cabin area, loaded with thick wool blankets for chilly nights, houses the captain’s seat and leads down to a small galley. Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'galley.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English galeie, galey, borrowed from Anglo-French galee, galeie (continental Old French galee, galie), borrowed (probably in part via Upper Italian dialects) from Middle Greek galéa, after galéa "the shark Galeorhinus galeus," probably re-formation of Greek galeós, a name for the same fish, of uncertain origin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of galley was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near galley

Cite this Entry

“Galley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galley. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

galley

noun
gal·​ley ˈgal-ē How to pronounce galley (audio)
plural galleys
1
: a large low ship of olden times moved by oars and sails
2
: the kitchen especially of a ship or airplane
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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