terce

American  

[turs] / tɜrs /

noun

Ecclesiastical.

1. a variant of tierce.

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terce British  

/ tɜːs /

noun

1. RC Church the third of the seven canonical hours of the divine office, originally fixed at the third hour of the day, about 9 a.m.

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Etymology

Origin of terce

a variant of _tierce

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

terce

We whitewashed no more than the fourth part of the roof before the church bells rang terce, the hour for our lessons to begin.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

Since the 6th century the number and order of the hours have been fixed thus: matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers, compline.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7 "Horticulture" to "Hudson Bay" by Various

Thou wilt have no terce from my earldom, wherein I am not yet feudally seised.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 10 by Various

TERCER, s. a widow living upon a terce.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV. by Alexander Leighton

And the poynt of the Isle of Orleans toward the Northeast is in 47 degrees and one terce of a degree.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation. Vol. XIII. America. Part II. by Richard Hakluyt