third
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.
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).
in the third place; thirdly.
Origin of third
1Other words from third
- thirdly, adverb
Words Nearby third
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use third in a sentence
The third suspect, an 18-year-old named Hamyd Mourad, who turned himself in, is part of the same extended family.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTthird 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 | THE DAILY BEASTThe third problem is the evidence of corroborating witnesses.
Buckingham Palace Disputes Sex Allegations Against Prince ‘Randy Andy’ | Tom Sykes | January 4, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTMurders are slightly down from 414 last year, but have fallen by about one—third since 2003.
But the Mexican caballeros had no notion of coming up to the scratch a third time.
This was somewhat tiresome; and, after a rather feeble attempt at a third laugh, Davy said, "I don't feel like it any more."
Davy and The Goblin | Charles E. CarrylIt occurred to him then, for the first time, that a third resource was open—he might cut the rope, and let the kite go free!
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneOn the third day after the declaration of his recall, Ripperda took his official leave, and presented his son in his new office.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterThe third boat and kite had been damaged beyond repair, but the two left were sufficient.
The Giant of the North | R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for third
/ (θɜːd) /
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
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 other: See also interval (def. 5), major (def. 15), minor (def. 4d)
British an honours degree of the third and usually the lowest class: Full term: third class honours degree
(plural) goods of a standard lower than that of seconds
Also: thirdly in the third place
Also: thirdly as the third point: linking what follows with the previous statements as in a speech or argument
Origin of third
1Derived forms of third
- thirdly, 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
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