Meanings
plural quadriremes
- historicalA galley with four banks of oars, each rowed by two oarsmen.
The Romanes hauing gained this prise, & ioyned hir to the Quadrireme bothe well furnished of all necessaries, kept them continnally in the entraunce, prohibiting withoute any difficultie the easie entrance of their enimies into Lilybeum.
1568, Polybius, translated by Christopher Watson, The hystories of the most famous and worthy cronographer Polybius […] , London: Thomas Hacket, page 601 more example
During three decades of peace the Venetian battle fleet had stagnated, but soon, once again, reserve galleys were pushing out of the Arsenal. A colossal quadrireme constructed by the scholar-turned-shipwright Vettor Fausto was loaded with batteries of cannon.
1980, Colin Thubron, Seafarers: The Venetians, page 121
Origin
- Latinquadrirēmis
- Englishquadrireme
Borrowed from Latin quadrirēmis via Middle French quadrirème, equivalent to quadri- (“four”) + Latin remus (“oar”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French quadrirème
- quadrirèmegalley with four banks of oars
Italian quadrireme
- quadriremegalley with four banks of oars
Portuguese quadrirreme
- quadrirremegalley with four banks of oars
Cite this entry
quadrireme. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quadrireme
“quadrireme.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quadrireme. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “quadrireme,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quadrireme.
Source: quadrireme on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.