trident

1 of 2

noun

tri·​dent ˈtrī-dᵊnt How to pronounce trident (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See all Example Sentences for trident 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of trident was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near trident

Cite this Entry

“Trident.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trident. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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

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