I.(sub. ναῦς) the hindmost part of a ship, the stern, poop, Lat. puppis, Hom., etc.; he sometimes has it in full, νηὶ πάρα πρύμνῃ, ἐπὶ πρύμνῃ νηί, νηὶ ἐνὶ πρ., and in pl., νηυσὶν ἔπι πρύμνῃσι; though he also has πρύμνη νηός Od.:— ἐπὶ πρύμνην ἀνακρούεσθαι to back a ship (v. ἀνακρούω II); so, χωρεῖν πρύμναν to retire, draw back, Eur.; ἐπείγει κατὰ πρύμναν, of a fair wind, Soph.; κατὰ πρ. ἵσταται τὸ πνεῦμα Thuc.—Ships were fastened or drawn up on land by the stern, Il.: hence, πρύμνας λῦσαι Eur.; cf. πρυμνήσιος.
2.metaph. of the vessel of the State, Aesch.
