Barge A long, flat-bottomed boat used to transport goods along rivers and canals. Early barges were towed by horses on a path beside the water. Modern barges are self-propelled or pulled by tugboats.

Barque An ocean-going sailing ship used to carry cargo in the 18th century. Despite its large size, it could be operated by a small crew. The largest sailing ship ever was a barque called the France II, built in 1911.

Battleship A large, armoured ship with guns and missiles. The first steam-powered battleships were built in the 1800s.

Caravel A light, fast sailing ship with a deep hull, used to carry cargo. The caravel was developed by the Portuguese in the 15th century.

Carrack A broad, ocean-going sailing ship, built in Europe from the 15th century. Carracks had three or four masts, combining square and triangular sails.

Clipper A fast 19th-century sailing ship. Clippers had a streamlined hull and were used to carry cargo such as tea and spices.

Coracle A traditional one-man fishing boat, with a hull made from reeds or wood. It is paddled with an oar, and is light enough to be easily carried.

Dhow A traditional Arab sailing boat, fitted with one or more triangular sails.

Dugout canoe A simple boat made from a hollowed-out tree trunk and powered by paddles. Dugouts are the oldest known boats in the world.

Galleon A ship with square sails and at least two decks armed with cannons. Galleons were used by Europeans from the 16th to the 18th century for warfare and trade.

Galley A long, slender ship used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. A galley was sometimes fitted with sails, but would be rowed into battle to attack enemy ships with a sharp ram on its bow.

Great Britain A passenger steamship designed by English engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806–1859) in 1843. It was the first iron steamship to be fitted with a screw propeller.

Great Eastern An iron paddle-steamer built by Brunel in 1858. The Great Eastern could carry 4000 passengers and was the largest ship in the world at the time.

Junk A traditional Chinese boat with sails stiffened by bamboo poles and a sternpost rudder for steering. A junk's hull is fitted with compartments that strengthen the ship and slow flooding in case of accidents.

Knarr A shallow-bottomed sailing ship, used by the Vikings around 1200 years ago. Its hull was made from overlapping, or “clinkered”, planks of wood. Knarrs were used for trading and, later, for exploration of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Longship A fast, slender ship used to carry Viking warriors into battle. A longship was powered by both a square sail and oars. Its front was carved into the shape of a dragon’s head.

Paddle steamer A ship in which a steam engine turned paddle-wheels fitted to either side of the hull. The first commercial paddle steamer was build by American Robert Fulton (1765–1815) in 1807.

Steamship A ship with a steam engine that turns paddle wheels or a propeller. Early steamships also had sails as they could not carry enough coal for long voyages and their engines were unreliable.

Titanic A steam-powered ocean liner that sank after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912. Fifteen hundred people lost their lives on the Titanic.

Trireme A warship used by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Phoenicians, powered both by sails and by three rows of oars.

Consultant: Chris Oxlade