Meanings
- historicaluncountableA highly flammable substance of unknown composition first used by the Greeks of Constantinople in the 7th century ce to set fire to enemy ships, buildings, etc.
“There is yet spirit in him,” said Malvoisin apart to Mont–Fitchet, “were it well directed — but, like the Greek fire, it burns whatever approaches it.”
1819, Sir Walter Scott, IvanhoeSynonyms: Byzantine fire, Grecian fire
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA highly flammable substance of unknown composition first used by the Greeks of Constantinople in the 7th century ce to set fire to enemy ships, buildings, etc.
Translations
Arabic النَّارُ الإِغْرِيقِيَّة
- النَّارُ الإِغْرِيقِيَّة (an-nāru l-ʔiḡrīqiyya)flammable substance
Basque su greko
- su grekoflammable substance
Bulgarian гръ́цки о́гън
- гръ́цки о́гън (grắcki ógăn)flammable substance
Catalan foc grec
- foc grecflammable substance
Chinese Mandarin 希臘火 /希腊火
- 希臘火 /希腊火flammable substance
Czech řecký oheň
- řecký oheňflammable substance
Danish græsk ild
- græsk ildflammable substance
Dutch Grieks vuur
- Grieks vuurflammable substance
Esperanto greka fajro
- greka fajroflammable substance
Estonian kreeka tuli
- kreeka tuliflammable substance
Finnish kreikkalainen tuli
- kreikkalainen tuliflammable substance
French feu grégeois
- feu grégeoisflammable substance
German griechisches Feuer
- griechisches Feuerflammable substance
Greek υγρό πυρ
- υγρό πυρ (ygró pyr)flammable substance
Hebrew אש יוונית
- אש יוונית (esh y'vanít)flammable substance
Hungarian görögtűz
- görögtűzflammable substance
Irish tine Ghréagach
- tine Ghréagachflammable substance
Italian fuoco greco
- fuoco grecoflammable substance
Japanese ギリシア火薬
- ギリシア火薬 (girishia-hokusuri)flammable substance
Korean 그리스 화약, 그리스의 불
- 그리스 화약 (geuriseu hwayak)flammable substance
- 그리스의 불 (geuriseuui bul)flammable substance
Latin Ignis Graecus
- Ignis Graecusflammable substance
Latvian grieķu uguns
- grieķu ugunsflammable substance
Lithuanian graikiška ugnis
- graikiška ugnisflammable substance
Norwegian gresk ild
- gresk ildflammable substance
Persian آتش یونانی
- آتش یونانی (âtaš yunâni)flammable substance
Polish ogień grecki
- ogień greckiflammable substance
Portuguese fogo grego
- fogo gregoflammable substance
Romanian focul grecesc
- focul grecescflammable substance
Russian гре́ческий ого́нь
- гре́ческий ого́нь (gréčeskij ogónʹ)flammable substance
Slovak grécky oheň
- grécky oheňflammable substance
Spanish fuego griego
- fuego griegoflammable substance
Swedish grekisk eld
- grekisk eldflammable substance
Turkish Rum ateşi
- Rum ateşiflammable substance
Ukrainian грецький вогонь
- грецький вогонь (hrecʹkyj vohonʹ)flammable substance
Cite this entry
Greek fire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Greek%20fire
“Greek fire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Greek%20fire. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Greek fire,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Greek%20fire.
Source: Greek fire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.