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
Words nearby three
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
- amounting to threethree ships
- (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