thirdhand

American  

[thurd-hand] / ˈθɜrdˈhænd /

adjective

1. previously used or owned by two successive people.

2. (loosely) secondhand, especially in poor condition.

3. obtained through two intermediates successively; twice removed from the original source.

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adverb

1. after two other users or owners.

   He bought the guitar thirdhand.

2. by way of several intermediate sources; indirectly.

Etymology

Origin of thirdhand

First recorded in 1545–55; third + hand

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thirdhand

One is the dense, dialect-heavy Gothic novel, 300-plus pages of exposition told second- or even thirdhand.

From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2026

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 endless meetings surrounding these trials typically involve months of vetting, confidentiality agreements and contracts; they are not to be crashed by wayward scientists with thirdhand invitations, and I immediately felt out of place.

From Scientific American ● Feb. 7, 2022

Richard Azzopardi, a spokesman for Mr. Cuomo, characterized Dr. Dufort’s testimony as “second- or thirdhand interpretations from an employee whose only interaction with the governor or his top staff was during a live Covid briefing.”

From New York Times ● Nov. 22, 2021

Thus she was able to get a little thirdhand information about her father and mother, Ben and Old Rit, or about one of her brothers or sisters.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry