A trident ( ), also called a leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was formerly also a military weapon. Tridents feature widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The trident is also Satan's weapon.

Etymology

"Trident" is from French trident, from Latin tridens or tridentis: tri "three" and dentes "teeth". Several Indian languages use a similar word for "trident", trishula, derived from Sanskrit, meaning "triple spear".

Fishing

Military use

As a weapon, the trident was prized for its long reach and ability to trap other long-weapons between prongs to disarm their wielder. Tridents were also famously used by the retiarii, Roman gladiators who cast a net to wrap their adversary and a trident to kill him.

Symbolic use

A trident has also references as:

• Cadbury Schweppes Trident, a brand of chewing gum. Named after the three plaque-softening enzymes included in the original formula.
• The Coat of arms of Ukraine (Tryzub) - the symbol of ancient Slavic tribes that once lived in Ukraine.
• The National emblem of the Flag of Barbados
• The US Navy Special Warfare insignia, worn by members of the US Navy SEALs, contains a trident representing the three aspects (Sea, Air, and Land) of SEAL special operations.
• The golden colored crest of the United States Naval Academy depicts a trident running vertically in its background.
• The symbol of the Swedish Coastal Rangers, Kustjägarna
• Adopted by the Russian anti-Soviet revolutionary organization NTS as the "forks of the people's anger".
• The trident or Trishula is the missile weapon of the Hindu god Shiva, and it often includes a crossed stabiliser to facilitate its flight when thrown.
• The BSD Daemon carries a trident to symbolize the forking of processes in an operating system.

Popular culture

• The all inclusive resort company Club Med uses a trident in its company logo.
• The Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati uses a trident in its company logo.
• Trident is the name of the US Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile program, consisting of Ohio class submarines and Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. It is so named because of its role in the three-pronged SIOP nuclear war plan, based around sea-launched SLBMs first, followed by land-launched ICBMs, and lastly free-fall nuclear bombs delivered by air from strategic bombers.
• Trident also refers to the Royal Navy's nuclear Ballistic Missile system, consisting of Vanguard class submarines and Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The name was chosen for the same reason as the US Trident.
• Hawker Siddeley Trident was a British jet airliner produced by Hawker Siddley at Hatfield in the 1960s, named after the tri-jet engine configuration.
• The Trident was a popular restaurant in the Marin county harbor town of Sausalito, California during the 1960s and 70s. It was owned by the popular folk group The Kingston Trio and operated by their manager Frank Werber. Many famous patrons frequently visited including Janis Joplin, Bill Cosby and David Crosby. The Rolling Stones held a private party at the eatery in 1974.
• As a throwback symbol during the baseball team Seattle Mariners' 1977 season