caravel
/ˈkarəvɛl
/(also carvel)
noun historical
A small, fast Spanish or Portuguese sailing ship of the 15th-17th centuries.Square-rigged sails were particularly effective on the lighter ships known as caravels, which is why the Nina and Pinta were apt choices for Columbus's first voyage....
- One theory has it as the hulk of a Portuguese caravel wrecked here in the 1560s.
- The even skin of the carvel hull enabled shipwrights to cut gunports close to the waterline.
Origin
Early 16th century: from French caravelle, from Portuguese caravela, diminutive of caravo, via Latin from Greek karabos 'horned beetle' or 'light ship'.