1. a large, heavily armed sailing ship of the 16th and 17th centuries, combining features of a galley and a galleon.
Usage: nautical; historical

Examples

• The Spanish Armada included several galleasses among its fleet.
• A galleass was faster than a traditional galley but more maneuverable than a full galleon.
• The galleass represented an important transition in naval ship design during the Renaissance.
• Merchants preferred galleasses for long ocean voyages because of their cargo capacity and firepower.
• The galleass combined oars and sails, making it effective in both calm and windy conditions.