noun. Any of several types of small, light sailing ships, especially one with two to four masts and lateen sails used by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 1400s and 1500s.

noun. Nautical, the name of several kinds of vessels.

noun. The floating marine gastropod Ianthina.

noun. The caravel of the 16th century was a small vessel with broad bows, high, narrow poop, four masts, and lateen sails. .

noun. A Portuguese vessel of 100 or 150 tons burden.

noun. A small fishing boat used on the French coast.

noun. A Turkish man-of-war.

noun. A light, usually lateen-rigged sailing ship used by the Portuguese, as well as Spanish, for about 300 years, beginning in the fifteenth century, first for trade and later for voyages of exploration

"That the word caravel was intended to signify a vessel of a small size is evident from a naval classification made by king Alonzo in the middle of the thirteenth century."

1664-65  Hidalgo  Jesuit  almiranta  brigantine  

carvel