Carracks

/ˈkærəks/ noun

Definition

Large, heavily built sailing ships with multiple decks used by European traders and explorers from the 15th to 17th centuries.

Etymology

From Spanish carraca or Portuguese carraca, possibly derived from Arabic qaraqir or Greek karabos. These ships became iconic vessels of the Age of Exploration.

Kelly Says

Carracks like those used by Vasco da Gama and Columbus were essentially floating castles—so heavy and slow they could barely maneuver, but they could carry massive cargo and survive ocean storms!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.