: 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
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.
The wintry Atlantic roiling, frothing, glittering like a gigantic skin shaking itself, great galleon-clouds passing overhead, torn and tattered by the wind.—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025 In my first go, my ancient Romans became the Spanish, who sent galleons to distant lands.—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025 The present day’s global aristocrats invade Miami for Art Week not by galleon under the power of sail, but by private jet under the power of fossil fuel.—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024 Reflecting the masts and sails of a Spanish galleon rising from the sand, the installation symbolizes irreversible choices and the sacrifices required for collective liberation.—Lilian Raji, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for galleon
Word History
Etymology
probably borrowed from Italian galeone, galione (later reinforced by Spanish galeón, probably borrowed from Italian), from galeagalley + -one, augmentative suffix
Share