A xebec, also spelled chebec, chebeck, jabeque, sciabecco, shebec, xebeque, and zebec, was a small, fast, three mast (but originally two mast) vessel of the 16th to 19th centuries, used almost exclusively in the Mediterranean Sea, with a distinctive hull, which added a pronounced overhanging bow and stern, and rarely displacing more than 200 tons, slightly smaller and with slightly fewer guns than frigates of the period.

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, a large xebec carried a square rig on the foremast, lateen sails on the others, a bowsprit, and two headsails.

They were greatly favoured by Mediterranean nations as corsairs, and for this purpose were built with a narrow floor to achieve a higher speed than their victims, but with a considerable beam in order to enable them to carry an extensive sail plan. When used as corsairs they carried a crew of 300 to 400 men and mounted perhaps 16-30 guns according to size.

Other types of sailing vessel