galley

noun

gal·​ley ˈga-lē 

plural galleys

1

: a ship or boat propelled solely or chiefly by oars: such as

a

: a long low ship used for war and trading especially in the Mediterranean Sea from the Middle Ages to the 19th century

also : galleass

b

: a warship of classical antiquity compare bireme, trireme

c

: a large open boat (such as a gig) formerly used in England

2

: the kitchen and cooking apparatus especially of a ship or airplane

3

a

: an oblong tray to hold especially a single column of set type

b

: a proof of typeset matter especially in a single column before being made into pages

Illustration of galley

• galley 1a

Examples of galley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This wasn't a big deal when camping in the same spot for a couple days, but removing all bikes and the rack itself was certainly inconvenient when trying to quickly grab food or drink out of the galley while on the road. —New Atlas, 8 Apr. 2025

For homeowners who prefer a more open kitchen, modifications can help adapt the galley layout for a more social environment. —Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025

The sleek galley kitchen is outfitted with top-of-the-line appliances, bespoke cabinetry, and elegant stone worktops. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2025

What about the murky ethics of selling galleys at sky-high prices despite receiving it for free? —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English galeie, galey, borrowed from Anglo-French galee, galeie (continental Old French galee, galie), borrowed (probably in part via Upper Italian dialects) from Middle Greek galéa, after galéa "the shark Galeorhinus galeus," probably re-formation of Greek galeós, a name for the same fish, of uncertain origin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing galley

• galley-west

Rhymes for galley

• alley
• alli
• bally
• calli
• challis
• dally
• galli
• lally
• mallee
• mally
• rally
• salley

Kids Definition

galley

noun

gal·​ley ˈgal-ē 

plural galleys

1

: a large low ship of olden times moved by oars and sails

2

: the kitchen especially of a ship or airplane