Greek fire

noun

an incendiary mixture of unknown composition, used in warfare in medieval times by Byzantine Greeks.

any of a group of inflammable mixtures; wildfire.

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Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

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Origin of Greek fire

First recorded in 1820–30

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for greek fire

Greek-fire was the precursor of gunpowder; it was the oleum incendiarum of the Romans.
The Browning Cyclopdia|Edward Berdoe

British Dictionary definitions for greek fire

Greek fire

noun

a Byzantine weapon employed in naval warfare from 670 ad. It consisted of an unknown mixture that, when wetted, exploded and was projected, burning, from tubes

any of several other inflammable mixtures used in warfare up to the 19th century

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012