quadriga

noun /kwɒdˈɹiː.ɡə/

1. A Roman racing chariot drawn by four horses abreast.

   historical

   In the Vatican Library is a vase of terra cotta, on whose upper part we see delineated the sun and moon, in a quadriga, which proceeds forward [travels, voyages, fulfils its course] upon a ship. […] Both these deities stand in a quadriga, which indeed is the vehicle proper to the sun, insomuch that the Rhodians every year threw into the sea a quadriga, dedicated to this divinity.

2. A team of four horses, or sometimes other animals, especially as used in chariot racing.

   historical

Where it comes from

From Latin quadrīgae, literally "four yoked", from quattuor (“four”) + iugum (“yoke”).

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry quadriga (CC BY-SA 4.0).

← quadratquadrilogue →

Another random word More words starting with Q