triumvirate
/trʌɪˈʌmvɪrət
/noun
1(In ancient Rome) a group of three men holding power, in particular (the First Triumvirate) the unofficial coalition of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus in 60 bc and (the Second Triumvirate) a coalition formed by Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian in 43 bc.
1.1A group of three powerful or notable people or things: a triumvirate of three executive vice presidents...
- Finally, in the last few days, IBM, the father of PC technology, has added its corporate voice to those of this powerful triumvirate.
- He provided the balance within the ruling triumvirate, holding command over the 45,000-strong army.
- Under a ruling triumvirate, no one executive has clear control.
2The office of triumvir in ancient Rome.In 36, Octavian defeated Pompey's son Sextus Pompeius at Naulochus, and also ousted Lepidus from the triumvirate....
- Mark Antony has been spending his time in Egypt with his mistress, Cleopatra, and neglecting his duties as part of the triumvirate of Rome.
- In the wake of his death, three men moved forward to form a new triumvirate which would punish Caesar's assassins and then divide up the Roman world.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Latin triumviratus, from triumvir (see triumvir).