third

[ thurd ]

/ θɜrd /

adjective

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

being one of three equal parts.

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.

rated, graded, or ranked one level below the second: He's third engineer on the ship.

noun

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

the third member of a series.

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

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.

Usually thirds. Law.

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

Music.

a tone on the third degree from a given tone (counted as the first).
the interval between such tones.
the harmonic combination of such tones.

Baseball. third base.

Usually thirds. Commerce. a product or goods below second quality.Compare first(def 17), second¹(def 23).

adverb

in the third place; thirdly.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?

Question 1 of 10

earnest

full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of third

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

OTHER WORDS FROM third

third·ly, adverb

Words nearby third

thiourea, thioxanthene, thir, thira, thiram, third, third age, third amendment, third base, third baseman, third class

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for third

The third suspect, an 18-year-old named Hamyd Mourad, who turned himself in, is part of the same extended family.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Officials have said the war to reclaim upward of a third of Iraq and a quarter of Syria from ISIS could take years.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Third parties in turn quibbled with his accounts, and he was irritated, but not overly so.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The third problem is the evidence of corroborating witnesses.
Buckingham Palace Disputes Sex Allegations Against Prince ‘Randy Andy’|Tom Sykes|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Murders are slightly down from 414 last year, but have fallen by about one—third since 2003.
America’s 2014 Murder Capital|Brandy Zadrozny|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It will not be easy to imagine any third mode materially different, which could rationally be proposed.
The Federalist Papers|Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison
And this rapid change, this third engagement within a few weeks,—was disgusting to her as a woman.
The American Senator|Anthony Trollope
Was there a third accomplice—for she thought she could see two spots of deeper blackness by the door—hidden in the house?
The Green Satin Gown|Laura E. Richards
Now, we could do wi' a third horse—get yourself ready, and drive over there, and take a look at it.
The Root of All Evil|J. S. Fletcher
Gehenna was created before Paradise; the former on the second day and the latter on the third.
Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala|Various

British Dictionary definitions for third

third

/ (θɜːd) /

adjective (usually prenominal)

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
(as noun)he arrives on the third; the third got a prize

rated, graded, or ranked below the second level

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

noun

one of three equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, etc
(as modifier)a third part

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

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

the interval between one note and another three notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale
one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the otherSee also interval (def. 5), major (def. 15), minor (def. 4d)

British an honours degree of the third and usually the lowest classFull term: third class honours degree

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

adverb

Also: thirdly in the third place

sentence connector

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

Derived forms of third

thirdly, adverb

Word Origin for third

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

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

Medical definitions for third

third

[ thûrd ]

adj.

Coming next after second, as in order, rank, or time.

Being the digit that is adjacent to and is on the outermost side of the second digit, as on a foot.

Other words from third

third n.

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

third

adjective

noun

adverb

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

Origin of third

OTHER WORDS FROM third

Words nearby third

Example sentences from the Web for third

British Dictionary definitions for third

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

adverb

sentence connector

Derived forms of third

Word Origin for third

Medical definitions for third

adj.

Other words from third

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

third

adjective

noun

adverb

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

Origin of third

OTHER WORDS FROM third

Words nearby third

Words related to third

Example sentences from the Web for third

British Dictionary definitions for third

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

adverb

sentence connector

Derived forms of third

Word Origin for third

Medical definitions for third

adj.

Other words from third