Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
dromon

dromon

9.9
A fast ship with oars used for war by the Byzantine navy
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : dromón
  • Armed with oars and sails, the dromon was the backbone of the Byzantine fleet during the Middle Ages.

Examples

  • A fleet of dromons sailed swiftly across the Mediterranean during the campaign.

  • Historians study the design of the dromon to understand medieval naval warfare.

  • The dromon played a key role in defending the Byzantine Empire's coastline.

  • The dromon was essential for naval warfare.

  • Many dromons were built during the Byzantine Empire.

  • The Byzantine navy employed the dromon for its speed and maneuverability in naval battles.

  • Sailors praised the dromon for its swift attacks against enemy ships in coastal confrontations.

Synonyms

galley
vsdromon
7 8.9

A long, narrow ship from ancient times moved by oars and sometimes sails for war or trade

is a fast warship specifically used by the Byzantine navy in the Middle Ages
monoreme
vsdromon
  • Archaic
9.9

An ancient ship with one row of oars on each side

is a fast medieval Byzantine warship rather than a single-bank ancient vessel

Surface Forms

dromon singular
dromons plural

Etymology

Dromon comes from the Greek word dromos meaning 'race' or 'running'. It was called a 'running ship' because it was built for speed as a fast, oared warship, and the same root appears in English words like aerodrome and hippodrome, which are places for planes or races.