noun
- Plural of caravelle; small, fast sailing ships with three masts used by European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Usage: historical; nautical
Examples
- Columbus commanded three caravelles on his voyage across the Atlantic in 1492.
- Portuguese explorers used caravelles to navigate the African coast.
- The caravelles were designed to be both seaworthy and maneuverable in shallow waters.
- These small caravelles could sail closer to shore than larger vessels of the era.