THREE Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

three

[ three ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a cardinal number, 2 plus 1.
a symbol for this number, as 3 or III.
a set of this many persons or things.
a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with three pips.

adjective

amounting to three in number.

three

/ θ��ː /

noun

the cardinal number that is the sum of two and one and is a prime number See also number
a numeral, 3, III, (iii), representing this number
the amount or quantity that is one greater than two
something representing, represented by, or consisting of three units such as a playing card with three symbols on it
Also calledthree o'clock three hours after noon or midnight

determiner

1. amounting to three
  three ships
2. ( as pronoun )
  three were killed

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of three¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English thrēo, thrīo, feminine and neuter of �ٳ��ī(��); cognate with Dutch drie, German drei, Old Norse �ٳ��ī��, Gothic threis, Greek �ٰ��î��, Latin �ٰ�ŧ�� “t��,” ter “t��,” Irish �ٰ�í, Old Church Slavonic tri, Sanskrit trī, tráyas

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of three¹

Old English �ٳ��ŧ��; related to Old Norse �ٳ��ī��, Old High German ��ī, Latin �ٰ�ŧ��, Greek treis

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

three sheets in the wind. sheet ²( def 3 ).

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Adding to their vulnerability is their slow reproductive cycle - they mature between six and 10 years of age and females typically give birth to just one calf every two to three years.

From

The sisters described Louise as devoted to her three boys, who were aged two, 11 and 13 when they lost their mum.

From

And in what was easily the best of his three rookie-season starts so far on Saturday, Sasaki finally laid the foundation that could allow for future growth.

From

All three major stock indexes in the US plunged more than 5% on Friday, with the S&P 500 dropping almost 6%, capping the worst week for the US stock market since 2020.

From

The logjam of athletic, sharp-shooting forwards places a higher emphasis on improved guard play after the Bruins’ backcourt turned the ball over seven times with just three assists against Connecticut.

From

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse