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

Scores are based on eight areas of the ship, including galleys and dining rooms, medical centers, housekeeping, potable water systems, heating systems, and pest management. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026

The word kombuis, borrowed from Dutch, originally meant a galley. —Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026

In the galley kitchen, Troadec retrofit existing cabinets, added new hardware, and custom-built a banquette with extra storage. —Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 7 Mar. 2026

There are several kitchen layout options out there; some, like galley kitchens better suit smaller homes and apartments, and others, like the double-island setup, require ample square footage but might work best for a large family and lots of meal prep. —Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 3 Mar. 2026

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