[gal.ley] n, pl galleys [ME galeie, fr. OF galie, galee, ultim. fr. MGk galea] (13c) 1: a ship or boat propelled solely or chiefly by oars: as a: a long low ship used for war and trading esp. in the Mediterranean Sea from the Middle Ages to the 19th century; also: galleass b: a warship of classical antiquity--compare bireme, trireme c: a large open boat (as a gig) formerly used in England
2: the kitchen and cooking apparatus esp. of a ship or airplane 3 a: an oblong tray to hold esp. a single column of set type b: a proof of typeset matter esp. in a single column before being made into pages