A small, oared Levantine sailing vessel used historically in Mediterranean trade and warfare.
From Turkish or Arabic origin, possibly related to 'galiot' or 'galley.' The term entered European languages during the medieval and Renaissance periods of Mediterranean maritime trade.
The galyac was nimble enough to slip through trade routes and narrow channels, but sturdy enough to carry cargo—medieval merchants and pirates both loved them because they could do just about anything a large ship could do, only faster and cheaper.
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