[1590–1600; ‹ L quadrirēmis, equiv. to quadri-quadri- + -rēmis (deriv. of rēmus oar)]This word is first recorded in the period 1590–1600. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Byzantine, dummy, fixture, squeeze, volunteerquadri- is a combining form meaning “four,” used in the formation of compound words. Otherwords that use the affix quadri- include: quadraphony, quadricentennial, quadriga, quadriliteral, quadriplegia