thirdhand
Americanadjective
-
previously used or owned by two successive people.
-
(loosely) secondhand, especially in poor condition.
-
obtained through two intermediates successively; twice removed from the original source.
adverb
-
after two other users or owners.
He bought the guitar thirdhand.
-
by way of several intermediate sources; indirectly.
Etymology
Origin of thirdhand
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.
One is the dense, dialect-heavy Gothic novel, 300-plus pages of exposition told second- or even thirdhand.
From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2026
It asks whether police violated the Constitution when they entered a man’s home during a welfare check—without a warrant, without an emergency, and based only on a thirdhand report that he might be suicidal.
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2025
Ford said he “certainly did not” approve of the relationship between his daughter and Hagans, which he heard about second- or thirdhand because the woman didn’t tell him about it.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 10, 2022
The invitation came thirdhand, and the details were murky but intriguing.
From Scientific American ● Feb. 7, 2022
The few pieces of information the president did obtain were often second- or thirdhand and usually vague in nature.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
Definitions 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.
