galley

noun

gal·​ley ˈga-lē 

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

• galley 1a

Examples of galley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another installation simulates the interior of Aquarius Reef Base, complete with bunks, galley tables and stories from Scripps Oceanography researchers like Dale Stokes and Jim Leichter, who’ve completed multiple missions there. —Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Dec. 2025

One of the women watched Wenger’s sentencing hearing from the courtroom galley. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025

The long, narrow galley kitchen is bookended by a breakfast nook and a family room. —Mark David, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2025

Tap the main shutter button in the center to turn autoscan on or off, and the image icon on the left to pick a page from your phone galley. —David Nield, Popular Science, 26 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing galley

• galley-west

Rhymes for galley

• alley
• alli
• bally
• calli
• challis
• dally
• galli
• lally
• mallee
• mally
• rally
• salley

Kids Definition

galley

noun

gal·​ley ˈgal-ē 

plural galleys

1

: a large low ship of olden times moved by oars and sails

2

: the kitchen especially of a ship or airplane