three

[ three ]
/ θri /

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.

Idioms for three

    three sheets in the wind. sheet2(def 3).

Origin of three

before 900; Middle English; Old English thrēo, thrīo, feminine and neuter of thrī(e); cognate with Dutch drie, German drei, Old Norse thrīr, Gothic threis, Greek treîs, Latin trēs three, ter thrice, Irish trí, OCS tri, Sanskrit trī, tráyas

Example sentences from the Web for three

British Dictionary definitions for three

three
/ (θriː) /

noun

the cardinal number that is the sum of two and one and is a prime number See also number (def. 1)
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 called: three o'clock three hours after noon or midnight

determiner

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

Other words from three

Related adjectives: ternary, tertiary, treble, triple Related prefixes: tri-, ter-

Word Origin for three

Old English thrēo; related to Old Norse thrīr, Old High German drī, Latin trēs, Greek treis