Galleon vs. Galley — What's the Difference?

A ship characterized by its towering masts and multiple sails.

A long, low ship powered primarily by oars.

A large, multi-decked sailing ship primarily used from the 16th to 18th centuries.

A ship with minimal masts and a reliance on rowers.

A representative of maritime advancement during the Age of Discovery.

A vessel designed for speed and maneuverability in coastal waters.

A vessel employed by European states for war or trade.

A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by rowing. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and railing).

Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal vessels drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the mid-1600s. Galleons generally carried three or more masts with a lateen fore-and-aft rig on the rear masts, were carvel built with a prominent squared off raised stern, and used square-rigged sail plans on their fore-mast and main-masts.

A low, flat ship with one or more sails and up to three banks of oars, chiefly used for warfare or piracy and often manned by slaves or criminals.

A sailing ship in use (especially by Spain) from the 15th to the 18th centuries, originally as a warship, later for trade. Galleons were typically square-rigged and had three or more decks and masts

The kitchen in a ship or aircraft.

A large three-masted sailing ship with a square rig and usually two or more decks, used in the 1500s, 1600s, and 1700s, especially by Spain as a merchant ship or warship.

A printer's proof in the form of long single-column strips, not in sheets or pages.

A large, three masted, square rigged sailing ship with at least two decks.

A large, usually single-decked medieval ship of shallow draft, propelled by sails and oars and used as a merchant ship or warship in the Mediterranean.

A sailing vessel of the 15th and following centuries, often having three or four decks, and used for war or commerce. The term is often rather indiscriminately applied to any large sailing vessel.

An ancient Mediterranean seagoing vessel propelled by oars.

A large square-rigged sailing ship with three or more masts; used by the Spanish for commerce and war from the 15th to 18th centuries

A large rowboat formerly used by British customs officers.

A ship known for its extensive cargo space, suitable for long voyages.

The kitchen of an airliner, ship, or camper.

A long, usually metal tray, used for assembling lines of printers' type in composing proofs and pages.

A proof made with printer's type before page composition to allow for the detection and correction of errors.

A long, slender ship propelled primarily by oars, whether having masts and sails or not; usually referring to rowed warships used in the Mediterranean from the 16th century until the modern era.

(British) A light, open boat used on the Thames by customhouse officers, press gangs, and also for pleasure.

(nautical) One of the small boats carried by a man-of-war.

(nautical) The cookroom or kitchen and cooking apparatus of a vessel or aircraft; sometimes on merchant vessels called the caboose.

An oblong oven or muffle with a battery of retorts; a gallery furnace.

(printing) An oblong tray of wood or brass, with upright sides, for holding type which has been set, or is to be made up, etc.

(printing) A proof sheet taken from type while on a galley; a galley proof.

(heraldry) A representation of a single masted ship propelled by oars, with three flags and a basket.

A vessel propelled by oars, whether having masts and sails or not

The cookroom or kitchen and cooking apparatus of a vessel; - sometimes on merchant vessels called the caboose.

An oblong oven or muffle with a battery of retorts; a gallery furnace.

An oblong tray of wood or brass, with upright sides, for holding type which has been set, or is to be made up, etc.

A large medieval vessel with a single deck propelled by sails and oars with guns at stern and prow; a complement of 1,000 men; used mainly in the Mediterranean for war and trading

(classical antiquity) a crescent-shaped seagoing vessel propelled by oars

The kitchen area for food preparation on an airliner

The area for food preparation on a ship

An ancient ship used notably by the Greeks and Romans.

A boat often associated with Mediterranean warfare or transport.

A Galleon is a large, multi-decked sailing ship primarily used from the 16th to 18th centuries.

Yes, Galleons are generally larger and have multiple decks, whereas Galleys are long and low.

A Galley is primarily propelled by oars.

A typical Galleon had three or four masts.

Large Galleys could have over 200 rowers.

Yes, Galleons were used both as warships and as cargo ships.

Galleys were notably used by ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Romans.

Galleys had minimal masts and sails, relying predominantly on oars for propulsion.

Galleons were distinct due to their size, multi-deck structure, and role in transoceanic voyages.

Galleons had a more extensive cargo capacity compared to Galleys.

Galleys were versatile, but they were often associated with warfare due to their speed and maneuverability.

Galleons played a crucial role in exploration, colonization, and trade during the Age of Discovery.

Galleons were primarily built in European shipyards, especially in countries like Spain and Portugal.

Galleys were more suited for coastal waters and the Mediterranean, not open ocean warfare.

Galleys had the advantage of speed and maneuverability in coastal waters and were not as dependent on wind as Galleons.