galley

noun

gal·​ley ˈga-lē How to pronounce galley (audio)
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

Illustration of galley
  • galley 1a

Examples of galley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The six-zone interior has both a forward and main lounge, a mid-section toilet, a full galley, and a rear suite. Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 Outside their rooms, passengers can congregate on the bridge, the galley, or in the dining room and lounge. Karen Catchpole, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2024 Airport operations and the Houston Fire Department also responded to the aircraft for a report of a fire in an oven in the aircraft’s galley, according to the Houston Airport System. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2024 Procedures for in-flight births are not formalized: Commonly, as in Debbie Owen’s case, the passenger might be moved to a more spacious and comfortable seat in business or first class, or have an area cleared in the galley. Mark Ellwood, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Jan. 2024 Dishes must be made with care but also need to be heated, plated and served to hungry guests solely from small galley kitchens aboard planes. Alissa Fitzgerald, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Become a Subscriber The drinks were always set in her claustrophobic galley kitchen. Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2024 Between the accommodation lies a sprawling salon with a designer galley and relaxation area. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Feb. 2024 Along with exercise-equipment and propellant storage, Orion provides nine cubic meters of habitable space, including a bathroom and a galley. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'galley.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of galley was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near galley

Cite this Entry

“Galley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galley. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

galley

noun
gal·​ley ˈgal-ē How to pronounce galley (audio)
plural galleys
1
: a large low ship of olden times moved by oars and sails
2
: the kitchen especially of a ship or airplane
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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