xebec
/ˈziːbɛk/
NOUN
1. A small Mediterranean sailing vessel
A small sailing vessel historically used in the Mediterranean Sea, typically featuring two or three masts, a projecting bow and stern, and sails suited to Mediterranean navigation.
1.1. Historical Mediterranean sailing ship
A traditional Mediterranean vessel used for transporting goods and sometimes for naval warfare or privateering, particularly during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Synonyms
- Mediterranean sailing vessel
- three-masted sailing ship
Examples
- The historical novel describes a xebec sailing across the Mediterranean Sea.
- The merchant crew loaded the xebec with goods before departing for another port.
- The museum displayed a model of an eighteenth-century xebec with its distinctive sails.