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

At the front of the house, an all-white galley kitchen equipped with Meile appliances sits side by side with the dining room. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 4 Dec. 2024

Nothing’s more ancient than being in a galley on a ship. —Ryleigh Nucilli, Outside Online, 22 Nov. 2024

Leff said certain challenges could come up when attempting to take a burger into the air, such as reheating the patty in the plane galley. —Sydney Borchers, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024

In the galley, everyone is skeptical about this tiny day-old cake Cloyce ordered. —Emma Soren, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024

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

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