English
trident
Trident comes from Latin tridēns ‘trident, a three-tined spear’, from dēns ‘tooth’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- ‘to bite’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ed-‘to bite’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃dónts‘tooth’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dents‘tooth’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēns‘tooth’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtridēns‘trident, a three-tined spear’
- Englishearliest quotation 1951trident
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ed-‘to bite’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃dónts‘tooth’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dents‘tooth’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēns‘tooth’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtridēns‘trident, a three-tined spear’
- Englishearliest quotation 1951trident
Earliest quotation: 1951, R. S. McNaught, Lines of Approach: “I recall the height of comfort attained by the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- ‘to bite’
odor, annoy, ozone, egregious, toothless, odious, osmium, odium, redolent, 65 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃dónts ‘tooth’
through Latin dēns ‘tooth’
Today it means
noun A three-pronged spear somewhat resembling a pitchfork.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- / trident