ternate

[ tur-nit, -neyt ]
See synonyms for ternate on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. consisting of three; arranged in threes.

  2. Botany.

    • consisting of three leaflets, as a compound leaf.

    • having leaves arranged in whorls of three, as a plant.

Origin of ternate

1
From the New Latin word ternātus, dating back to 1745–55. See tern2, -ate1

Other words from ternate

  • ter·nate·ly, adverb

Words Nearby ternate

Other definitions for Ternate (2 of 2)

Ternate
[ ter-nah-te; English ter-nah-tee ]

noun
  1. an island in E Indonesia, W of Halmahera: important source of spices. 53 sq. mi. (137 sq. km).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use ternate in a sentence

  • Terrified by this tyranny, the inhabitants of ternate fled to other places, the city becoming entirely deserted.

  • The other leaves are glaucous and bi-ternate, the leaflets being narrow, fleshy, and tapering towards both ends.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • It differs from the last in having ternate radical leaves with pinnatifid lobes, and the upper leaves, bi-pinnatifid.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • While the Golden Hind remained off ternate, a stranger came on board, very well dressed, and of courteous manners.

    Notable Voyagers | W.H.G. Kingston and Henry Frith
  • Having sighted ternate and Tidore, the Unity anchored, on the evening of the 17th, off the former island.

    Notable Voyagers | W.H.G. Kingston and Henry Frith

British Dictionary definitions for ternate

ternate

/ (ˈtɜːnɪt, -neɪt) /


adjective
  1. (esp of a leaf) consisting of three leaflets or other parts

  2. (esp of plants) having groups of three members

Origin of ternate

1
C18: from New Latin ternātus, from Medieval Latin ternāre to increase threefold

Derived forms of ternate

  • ternately, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012