trireme

American  

[trahy-reem] / ˈtraɪ rim /

noun

Classical History.

1. a galley with three rows or tiers of oars on each side, one above another, used chiefly as a warship.

---

trireme British  

/ ˈtraɪriːm /

noun

1. a galley, developed by the ancient Greeks as a warship, with three banks of oars on each side

---

Etymology

Origin of trireme

1595–1605; < Latin trirēmis having three banks of oars, equivalent to tri- tri- + rēm ( us ) oar + -is adj. suffix

Example Sentences

The warship's welcoming ceremony outside the naval base of Salamis included a copy of an ancient Athenian trireme and the Georgios Averof, a historic cruiser that fought in the Balkan Wars.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

“We just aim to get people to know the trireme and have fun.”

From Washington Times • Oct. 16, 2018

You get the sense that, were he sent to review an Olive Garden, he would remark, in his opening paragraph, that the bread sticks reminded him of the oars on a trireme.

From New York Times • Sep. 18, 2017

FOOTNOTE: *Though the Greek word for this type of ship is trieres, it is more commonly known as a trireme, derived from the Latin triremis, meaning having three banks of oars.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Thank you for your patience while waiting, children—and the trireme is very impressive, I must say! But put it aside for now, for at last it is time to go.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood