A large, heavily-armed sailing ship used by European nations from the 15th to 18th centuries, especially for exploration and trade.
From Spanish 'galeón,' which derived from 'galea' (a type of ship). The term became prominent during the Age of Exploration when these vessels dominated ocean trade routes and naval warfare.
Spanish galleons were basically the aircraft carriers of their time—so heavy with gold and treasure that they were slow and vulnerable, which is why the British famously defeated the Spanish Armada by using faster, more maneuverable ships in 1588.
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