caravels
/ˈkɛrəˌvɛlz/
noun
- Plural of caravel: small, fast sailing ships from the 15th and 16th centuries, used especially by the Portuguese and Spanish for long voyages of exploration.
- The explorers used caravels to map the coast of Africa.
- The caravels carried spices and silk back to Europe.
- Caravels were smaller than galleons but easier to handle.