trident
noun
a three-pronged instrument or weapon.
trident
American
[trahyd-nt]
/ ˈtraɪd nt /
noun
-
tridents
plural
-
a three-pronged instrument or weapon.
-
Roman History. a three-pronged spear used by a retiarius in gladiatorial combats.
-
Classical Mythology. the three-pronged spear forming a characteristic attribute of the sea god Poseidon, or Neptune.
-
a fish spear having three prongs.
-
Military. Trident, a 34-foot (10-meter) submarine-launched U.S. ballistic missile with eight to ten warheads and a range of 6,500 miles (10,459 km).
adjective
trident
1
British
/ ˈtraɪdənt /
noun
-
a three-pronged spear, originally from the East
-
(in Greek and Roman mythology) the three-pronged spear that the sea god Poseidon (Neptune) is represented as carrying
-
a three-pronged instrument, weapon, or symbol
adjective
Trident
2
British
/ ˈtraɪdənt /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of trident
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin trident- (stem of tridēns ) “having three teeth”; see tri-, dent 2
Explanation
If you’re the ancient Greek god of the sea, you’re probably already familiar with a trident, a three-pronged spear you can use to stab things. The trident, which is a spear with three points, or prongs, is often associated with the Greek god Poseidon, who used his trident to cause earthquakes and create sources of water. Mere mortals, however, are more likely to use a trident for spear fishing, or long ago, for military combat. Remember not to confuse a trident with a pitchfork, which is used mainly for lifting and tossing things.
Vocabulary lists containing trident
UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #5
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #6
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: tri-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Kings’ success will rest in how well Los Angeles adapts to Laviolette’s coaching trident.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Some fought with only a trident; some fought mounted on horseback; some on chariot; others on foot with helmet and short sword; some with two daggers; still others exclusively fought wild beasts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
"You're all dressed up today," Trump said as he greeted him, referring to Zelensky's military-style black sweatshirt, adorned with the Ukrainian trident.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2025
Raley hit a 432-foot blast off Royals starter Brady Singer in the second inning, and then promptly broke the team trident while celebrating in the dugout.
From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2024
With his trident he made in her honor the spring which bears her name.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
“The standards around it don’t exist right now,” said Amanda Annis, an agent at Trident Media Group.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The UK is currently constructing new Dreadnought-class submarines to carry Trident nuclear missiles at an estimated cost of £31bn - though recent tests of the US-made missiles have failed.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
Then the engineers of Trident, near Kharkiv, moving to another scale and paving the way for decisive technological breakthroughs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
In September, the United States carried out tests of its nuclear-capable Trident missiles.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2025
Their father, her brother Rhaegar, perished even earlier, slain by the Usurper on the Trident.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
One group of ash-smeared holy men, some naked and some dressed in just a loin cloth or marigold garland draped around their necks, marched through the streets, holding tridents, swords and small two-headed drums.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2025
The first two tridents represent Russian fighter jets they said they shot down during the first days of the war.
From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
But Bombnets and tridents weren’t probably addressed in the many coaching and leadership books he’s read.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 24, 2023
Fair enough, until I look around the restaurant and notice how many visual distractions there are, including all shapes and sizes of tridents.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 17, 2023
Before Davos could even think to move, he was surrounded by silver tridents.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
