caravel

Meaning

Noun

• A light, usually lateen-rigged sailing ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish for about 300 years from the 15th century, first for trade and later for voyages of exploration.

Origin

• From Middle French caravelle, from Old French caruelle, carvelle, from Old Portuguese caravela ("caravel"), a diminutive of caravo, carabo, from Late Latin carabus ("small wicker boat decked with hide"), from Ancient Greek κᾱ́ρᾰβος ("type of light ship; kind of beetle, probably a longhorn beetle; kind of crustacean, probably a crayfish").