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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Weighing 1,400 pounds, the trailer features a queen-size sleeping area and a galley kitchen with upper cabinets, customizable pull-out drawers, sink, cooler and refrigerator options. Mars King, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025 About a half hour after takeoff, an oven in the Boeing 737-800's forward galley caught on fire. Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025 The new device prevents passengers from entering the front galley adjacent to the flight deck when a pilot needs to leave the cockpit to use the restroom or for any other reason during a flight. Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025 Techno is blasting in the bus galley. Jonathan Terrell, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for galley

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

Cite this Entry

“Galley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galley. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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

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