third

[thurd]

adjective

1. next after the second; being the ordinal number for three.

2. being one of three equal parts.

3. Automotive.,  of, relating to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft speed is greater than that of second gear for a given engine crankshaft speed, but not as great as that of fourth gear, if such exists.

   third gear.

4. rated, graded, or ranked one level below the second.

   He's third engineer on the ship.

noun

1. a third part, especially of one (1/3).

2. the third member of a series.

3. Automotive.,  third gear.

   Don't try to start a car when it's in third.

4. a person or thing next after second in rank, precedence, order.

   The writer of the best essay will receive a gold medal, the second a silver, and the third a bronze.

5. Law.,  Usually thirds

   1. the third part of the personal property of a deceased husband, which in certain circumstances goes absolutely to the widow.

   2. a widow's dower.

6. Music.

   1. a tone on the third degree from a given tone (counted as the first).

   2. the interval between such tones.

   3. the harmonic combination of such tones.

7. Baseball.,  third base.

8. Commerce.,  Usually thirds. a product or goods below second quality.

adverb

1. in the third place; thirdly.

third

/ θɜːd /

adjective

1. 1. coming after the second and preceding the fourth in numbering or counting order, position, time, etc; being the ordinal number of three: often written 3rd

   2. ( as noun )

      he arrives on the third

      the third got a prize

2. rated, graded, or ranked below the second level

3. denoting the third from lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle

noun

1. 1. one of three equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a third part

2. the fraction equal to one divided by three ( 1/ 3 )

3. the forward ratio above second of a gearbox in a motor vehicle. In some vehicles it is the top gear

4. 1. the interval between one note and another three notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale

   2. one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other See also interval major minor

5. Full term: third class honours degree. an honours degree of the third and usually the lowest class

6. (plural) goods of a standard lower than that of seconds

adverb

1. Also: thirdly. in the third place

1. Also: thirdly. as the third point: linking what follows with the previous statements as in a speech or argument

Other Word Forms

• thirdly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of third¹

before 900; Middle English thirde, Old English (north) thirda, variant of thridda; cognate with Dutch derde, German dritte, Old Norse thrithi, Gothic thridja, Greek trítos, Latin tertius, Sanskrit tṛtīya. See three

Word History and Origins

Origin of third¹

Old English thirda, variant of thridda; related to Old Frisian thredda, Old Saxon thriddio, Old High German drittio, Old Norse thrithi, Latin tertius

Example Sentences

But the brave resistance of the Burundian Swallows finally broke when Ogam netted to lift the Kenyan Harambee Stars to third, eight points behind leaders and reigning African champions the Ivory Coast.

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Bank of America points out that in the third quarter, small-caps and the tech and communications services sectors were the best stock market performers.

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The pickup helped Delta’s revenue rise 6% to $16.67 billion in the third quarter from a year earlier, ahead of Wall Street expectations, boosted by premium cabin demand, corporate travel and its loyalty program customers.

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Publisher Puffin said on Wednesday the explicit material had been posted by a third party that had taken over the address.

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The evidence was heard on the third day of proceedings against the Canadian citizen, who denies murdering Ms Leveque last February.

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