Greek fire
Preserved but no longer current.
A combustible composition used for setting fire to an enemy's ships, fortifica- tions, etc., of nitre, sulphur, and naphtha. Tow steeped in the mixture was hurled in a blazing state through tubes, or tied to arrows. The invention is ascribed to Callinicos, of Heliop- olis, A.D. 668, and it was used by the Greeks at Constantinople.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Greek fire” mean?
A combustible composition used for setting fire to an enemy's ships, fortifica- tions, etc., of nitre, sulphur, and naphtha. Tow steeped in the mixture was hurled in a blazing state through tubes, or tied to arrows. The invention is ascribed to Callinicos, of Heliop- olis, A.D. 668, and it was used by the Greeks at Constantinople.
Is “Greek fire” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.