galeote

galley slave

noun gah-leh-OH-teh Rare

Origin: From galera (galley ship), via Old French galeot.

Usage Note

Galeote refers to a convict condemned to row in the oars of a galley ship, a common punishment in early modern Spain. The word is best known from Don Quijote, where Quijote frees a chain of galeotes. It is now a historical or literary term with no everyday modern use.

Examples

"Don Quijote liberó a los galeotes encadenados."

Natural Translation

Don Quijote freed the chained galley slaves.

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