CARAVEL

caravel|carvel. Caravel, or Carvel, n. a small vessel used in the herring fishery

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Car″a‐vel (kăr″ȧ‐vĕl), n. [[F. caravelle (cf. It. caravella, Sp. carabela), fr. Sp. caraba a kind of vessel, fr. L. carabus a kind of light boat, fr. Gr. κάραβοσ a kind of light ship, NGr. καράβι ship, vessel.]] [written also carvel and caravelle.] (Naut.) A name given to several kinds of vessels. (a) The caravel of the 16th century was a small vessel with broad bows, high, narrow poop, four masts, and lateen sails. Columbus commanded three caravels on his great voyage. (b) A Portuguese vessel of 100 or 150 tons burden. (c) A small fishing boat used on the French coast. (d) A Turkish man-of-war.