▁car rac a , ▁a ▁term ▁for ▁a ▁large , ▁square - rig ged ▁sail ing ▁vessel ▁used ▁in ▁Spanish , ▁Italian ▁and ▁Middle ▁Latin . ▁▁ ▁These ▁ships ▁were ▁called ▁car av ela ▁or ▁nau ▁in ▁Portuguese ▁and ▁Gen o ese , ▁car abel a ▁or ▁na o ▁in ▁Spanish , ▁car aque ▁or ▁ne f ▁in ▁French , ▁and ▁kra ak ▁in ▁Dutch . ▁ ▁The ▁origin ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁car rac a ▁is ▁unclear , ▁perhaps ▁from ▁Arab ic ▁q ara q ir ▁" mer chant ▁ship ", ▁itself ▁of ▁unknown ▁origin ▁( maybe ▁from ▁Latin ▁car ric are ▁" to ▁load ▁a ▁car " ▁or ▁Greek ▁ κ α ρ κ α ρ ί ς ▁ ▁" load ▁of ▁tim ber ") ▁or ▁the ▁Arab ic ▁ال ق ُ ر ْ ق ُ و ر ُ ▁( al - q ur q oor ) ▁and ▁from ▁th ence ▁to ▁the ▁Greek ▁ ▁( ker kou ros ) ▁meaning ▁approximately ▁" l ighter " ▁( bar ge ) ▁( liter ally , ▁" sh orn ▁tail ", ▁a ▁possible ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁flat ▁stern ). ▁ ▁Its ▁att est ation ▁in ▁Greek ▁literature ▁is ▁distributed ▁in ▁two ▁closely ▁related ▁lo bes . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁distribution ▁lo be , ▁or ▁area , ▁associ ates ▁it ▁with ▁certain ▁light ▁and ▁fast ▁merchant men ▁found ▁near ▁Cy pr us ▁and ▁Cor fu . ▁The ▁second ▁is ▁an ▁extensive ▁att est ation ▁in ▁the ▁O xy rh yn chus ▁cor