Illustration of caravel
caravel
noun
car·a·vel
ˈker-ə-ˌvel 
ˈka-rə-,
-vəl
: any of several sailing ships
specifically
: a small 15th and 16th century ship that has broad bows, high narrow poop, and usually three masts with lateen or both square and lateen sails
Examples of caravel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On August 3, 1492, the Genoese captain Christopher Columbus set sail on the Santa María from Palos, in the Bay of Cádiz on the coast of Spain, with around forty crewmen, alongside two smaller caravels, the Niña and the Pinta.
—
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
In nearby Bonavista village, the Matthew Legacy is a full-sized replica of the caravel that Cabot sailed across the Atlantic on the fateful voyage.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Wreck 5 was built using a method known as caravel planking, where planks are placed end to end without overlapping, archaeologist and project leader Håkan Altrock said in the release.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
Engulfed in the unpredictable Dionysian crowds rocking him left and right like a 15th century caravel, Reed vowed to carry on until morning like locals traditionally do.
—Ana Leorne, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
But what of those murals glorifying European colonization, with Christopher Columbus sweeping down from the sky in a caravel to find half-naked Native Americans?
—New York Times, 25 May 2021
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Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
In nearby Bonavista village, the Matthew Legacy is a full-sized replica of the caravel that Cabot sailed across the Atlantic on the fateful voyage.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Wreck 5 was built using a method known as caravel planking, where planks are placed end to end without overlapping, archaeologist and project leader Håkan Altrock said in the release.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
Engulfed in the unpredictable Dionysian crowds rocking him left and right like a 15th century caravel, Reed vowed to carry on until morning like locals traditionally do.
—Ana Leorne, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
But what of those murals glorifying European colonization, with Christopher Columbus sweeping down from the sky in a caravel to find half-naked Native Americans?
—New York Times, 25 May 2021
Cite this Entry
“Caravel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caravel. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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caravel
noun
car·a·vel
ˈkar-ə-ˌvel
-vəl
: a small 15th and 16th century ship with a broad bow, a high stern, and usually three masts
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