trident

1 of 2

noun

tri·​dent ˈtrī-dᵊnt 

1

: a 3-pronged spear serving in classical mythology as the attribute of a sea god (such as Neptune)

2

: a 3-pronged spear (as for fishing)

trident

2 of 2

adjective

: having three teeth, processes, or points

Did you know?

A trident has three prongs or teeth, as the root dent, "tooth", tells us. The trident has long been used to spear fish in different parts of the world, so there's no mystery about why the Greek sea god Poseidon and his Roman counterpart Neptune both carry a trident as their symbol. In some gladiator exhibitions in ancient Rome, one gladiator, called a retiarius ("net man"), would be equipped as though he were a fisherman, with a weighted net and a trident; with his net he would snare his sword-wielding opponent, and with his trident he would spear his helpless foe.

Examples of trident in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Burtka opted for the likeness of Poseidon the god of the sea, carrying a trident and wearing shelled armor. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024

The central Texas trident of communities also saw the seventh-largest numeric increase in population between 2022 and 2023. —Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Mar. 2024

Adjective

Overview More than just a modern mid-engine supercar, the 2024 Maserati MC20 represents a return to the trident brand’s core ethos. —Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 6 Sep. 2023

Species available through the program this fall include trident maple, river birch, sweetgum, willow oak, and dawn redwood. —Brittany Bowker, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin trident-, tridens, from trident-, tridens having three teeth, from tri- + dent-, dens tooth — more at tooth

Adjective

Latin trident-, tridens

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1589, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

trident

noun

tri·​dent

ˈtrīd-ᵊnt

: a spear with three prongs

trident adjective

Etymology

Noun

from Latin trident-, tridens "trident," from tridens (adjective) "having three teeth," from tri- "three" and dens "tooth" — related to dental