tryzub

English

WOTD – 31 March 2022

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes

PIE word *ǵómbʰos

A tryzub on the small coat of arms of Ukraine.

Borrowed from Ukrainian тризу́б (tryzúb, “trident”), from три (try, “three”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes (“three”)) + зуб (zub, “tooth”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos (“tooth; row of teeth; peg”)).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /tɹɪˈzuːb/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /tɹɪˈzub/
• Rhymes: -uːb
• Hyphenation: try‧zub

Noun

tryzub (plural tryzubs)

1. A trident emblem representing Ukraine. [from mid 20th c.]
   • 1962, Isidore Nahayewsky, “The Kingdom of Halich-Volynia”, in History of Ukraine, Philadelphia, Pa.: “America” Publishing House of the “Providence” Association of Ukrainian Catholics in America, →OCLC, page 108:

     All princes of the Kievan period had a common heraldic emblem: the Trident (Tryzub), which in various forms can be traced all the way to the second century of the new era, as archeological findings show.

   • 1981 March, Sonia Maryn, “New Gig Has ’Em Gagging”, in Студент: Газета Украінського Студентства Канади [Student: Hazeta Ukrainsʹkoho Studentstva Kanady, Student: Canada’s Newspaper for Ukrainian Students], volume 13, number 69, Edmonton, Alta.: Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 8, column 2:

     The community jumped on the group [a band]. […] Many have been trivial criticisms: directed at their use of English lyrics; their ostensible desecration of Ukrainian music (such as the punked up versions of Ногу, Ногу and Volya, and their use of a tryzub in the Pyrih logo – a punker kozak in dark glasses puffing on a pipe.

   • 1993, Thomas E. Graves, “Keeping Ukraine Alive through Death: Ukrainian-American Gravestones as Cultural Markers”, in Richard E. Meyer, editor, Ethnicity and the American Cemetery (Material Culture), Bowling Green, Oh.: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, →ISBN, page 42:

     The tryzub, which literally means "trident," is the Ukrainian national symbol and is by far the most common design found on the stones [in American cemeteries]. […] Other tryzubs have an upward pointed sword for the central part of the trident. The most common form of the tryzub is made of intertwined lines forming a never-ending loop. Many tryzubs are part of various emblems, such as the emblem for the Ukrainian National Republic of 1918 and emblems for various Ukrainian military divisions.

   • 1996, Catherine Wanner, “Nationalism on Stage: Music and Change in Soviet Ukraine”, in Mark Slobin, editor, Returning Culture: Musical Changes in Central and Eastern Europe, Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, →ISBN, page 150:

     From flag-toting pedestrians, to bumperstickers, to makeshift fliers, to buttons (znachki), the national symbol of Ukraine, the tryzub, and the Ukrainian blue-and-yellow flag were everywhere apparent.

   • 2001, Patricia K. Kummer, “Reclaiming Ukraine’s Identity”, in Ukraine (Enchantment of the World; Second Series), New York, N.Y.: Children’s Press, Scholastic, →ISBN, page 15:

     Now that Ukraine is an independent nation, the government and people are reviving Ukraine's traditions. One of these traditions is the symbol of the tryzub, or trident—a three-pronged spear. According to Ukraine's Constitution, the national emblem is a gold trident on a blue background. This symbol has been used in Ukraine since the first century a.d. Later, princes of Ukraine sealed important papers with the trident symbol.

   • 2009, Stephen P. Haluszczak, “Church and Community: A Connection from Ages to Ages”, in Ukrainians of Western Pennsylvania (Images of America), Charleston, S.C., Chicago, Ill.: Arcadia Publishing, →ISBN, image caption, page 66:

     The tryzub, or "trident," originated as the royal crest of Ukrainian Grand Prince Volodymyr in the 10th century. […] It was adopted as the national seal of Ukraine in 1991 upon the declaration of Ukrainian independence after the dissolution of the USSR. Here Volodymyr's tryzub with a cross was refurbished […] and was reattached to the Ukrainian Hall of SS. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in Carnegie.

   • 2013 June 14, E[rin] J. Sankey, “Fun”, in Fire and Ice, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 261:

     She got up to look at all the different Ukrainian items. There were gold and silver Tryzubs, Ukrainian Lacquere wooden beads, Ukrainian gold chains called rose gold.

   • 2013 July, I. C. Enger, “Olena”, in Green Ice: A Lake House Mystery, Hanford, Calif.: Oak Tree Press, →ISBN, page 155:

     “That is Ukraine symbol,” Sofiya said in surprise. “Look,” She took the pendant and showed it to Craig, “the Tryzub, the symbol of Ukraine. Olena said her mother gave on her sixteenth birthday.” She sobbed. Under the bright lights, the silver gleamed.

Translations

trident emblem representing Ukraine

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 三叉戟 (zh) (sānchājǐ)

• Finnish: tryzub, kolmikärki (fi)
• German: Trysub
• Japanese: 三叉槍 (さんさそう, sansasō), 三叉戟 (さんさげき, sansageki)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: три́зуб (ru) m (trízub), трезу́б m (trezúb)
• Ukrainian: тризу́б m (tryzúb)

Further reading

• coat of arms of Ukraine on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Category:tryzub on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• “tryzub”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from Ukrainian тризу́б (tryzúb).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtrɨ.zup/
• Rhymes: -ɨzup
• Syllabification: try‧zub

Noun

tryzub m inan

1. (regional) manger filled with fodder placed in the forest

   Synonym: żłób

2. the trident in the coat of arms of Ukraine

   Synonym: trójząb

Declension

Declension of tryzub

	singular	plural
nominative	tryzub	tryzuby
genitive	tryzuba	tryzubów
dative	tryzubowi	tryzubom
accusative	tryzub	tryzuby
instrumental	tryzubem	tryzubami
locative	tryzubie	tryzubach
vocative	tryzubie	tryzuby

Related terms

adjective

• trójzębny

 

noun

• trójząb

 

Further reading

• tryzub in Polish dictionaries at PWN