caravel
/ˈkɛrəˌvɛl/
noun
- A small, fast sailing ship from the 15th and 16th centuries, used especially by the Portuguese and Spanish for long voyages of exploration.
- The caravel was known for its ability to sail against the wind.
- Historians studied the design of the caravel to understand how explorers crossed the ocean.
- Christopher Columbus sailed a caravel on his voyage to the Americas.