thrice
Americanadverb
-
three times, as in succession; on three occasions or in three ways.
-
in threefold quantity or degree.
-
very; extremely.
adverb
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three times
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in threefold degree
-
archaic greatly
Etymology
Origin of thrice
1150–1200; Middle English thries, equivalent to obsolete thrie thrice ( Old English thrīga ) + -s -s 1
Explanation
Thrice is an old-fashioned way to talk about doing something three times. You could say, "I swung the bat at the piñata thrice." You're most likely to come across the adverb thrice in a book, since it's a stiff, formal way to say "three times." Just for fun, you could use it in a note to your cat sitter: "Please feed Fluffy thrice daily," to scold your younger brother: "I've asked you thrice not to throw that ball in the house," or to brag about your travels: "I've thrice been to Madagascar."
Vocabulary lists containing thrice
Excerpt from "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar"
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"Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Once the final track has been played, “F.I.G” beckons us to replay, revel in our emotions and dance once, maybe twice or thrice, more.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
Already, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates thrice last year as the jobs market weakened, before pausing in January to assess the situation.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
But if you do, read the fine print twice, or thrice.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 5, 2026
Her appearance comes after she refused the special prosecutor's summons thrice.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2025
I saw it in the girls, in their loud laughter, in their gilded bamboo earrings that announced their names thrice over.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.