carraca

Carraca is a term used in Portuguese with several related but distinct meanings, depending on historical period and context. In historical maritime language, carraca denotes a carrack, a large sailing ship used by European powers in the 14th to 17th centuries for long oceanic voyages. The carrack played a central role in the early Age of Exploration, combining a high forecastle and sterncastle with a broad, multi-masted rig. The Portuguese and other Romance-language sources sometimes used carraca to refer to this type of vessel, and the word is cognate with the English term carrack.

In nautical technology, carraca also refers to a mechanical device on ships: a winch or capstan used to apply force to lines, hoist sails, or haul heavy loads such as anchors. This usage emphasizes manual effort and gear designed to translate rotational motion into linear force on rope or chain.

Beyond ships and shipbuilding, carraca appears in onomastics as a surname in Portuguese-speaking regions, and it may appear in toponymy or historical records as a place-name or family name in various Lusophone communities.

See also: carrack, capstan, winch.