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.

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

Related formsthird·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for thirdly

And, thirdly, even if you are moving pieces of wreckage, there are eyes in the sky watching it all from satellites.
MH17 Is the World’s First Open-Source Air Crash Investigation|Clive Irving|July 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thirdly, economic agreements must be forged between regional states, particularly Rwanda and Congo.
How Congo Defeated the M23 Rebels|John Prendergast|November 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Thirdly, Obama should be frank about the “credibility” issue.
Obama’s Weasel Words on Syria|Christopher Dickey|September 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Thirdly, all the spoons are attached to a single ring, which can be hung from a hook, making them easier to find.
The 2012 Holiday Kitchen Gift Guide|Megan McArdle|December 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST

And thirdly, Chaz Ebert endured the debilitating role as his constant caregiver because she listened to her doctor.
The Resilient Roger Ebert|Gail Sheehy|January 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Thirdly, by words we have it in our power to make such combinations as we cannot possibly do otherwise.
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. I. (of 12)|Edmund Burke
Thirdly, I was convinced that there would be a war between us and Germany.
Men, Women and Guns|H. C. (Herman Cyril) McNeile
Or, thirdly, straight in the upper part, and concave in the under.
A Treatise on Painting|Leonardo Da Vinci
Thirdly, the external lines of junction between the transverse terminal loops being smooth or not serrated.
A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia (Volume 2 of 2)|Charles Darwin
In every syllogism is first a fundamental proposition; secondly, another deduced from it; and, thirdly, the consequence.
The World's Greatest Books--Volume 14--Philosophy and Economics|Various

British Dictionary definitions for thirdly

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 Formsthirdly, 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

Word Origin and History for thirdly

third

adj.

Old English metathesis of þridda, from Proto-Germanic *thridjas (cf. Old Frisian thredda, Old Saxon thriddio, Middle Low German drudde, Dutch derde, Old High German dritto, German dritte, Old Norse þriðe, Gothic þridja), from PIE *tritjos (cf. Sanskrit trtiyas, Avestan thritya, Greek tritos, Latin tertius, Old Church Slavonic tretiji, Lithuanian trecias, Old Irish triss).

Related to Old English þreo (see three). Metathesis of thrid into third is attested from c.950 in Northumbria, but thrid was prevalent up to 16c. The noun meaning "third part of anything" is recorded from late 14c. Third rail in electric railway sense is recorded from 1890. Third World War as a possibility first recorded 1947. Third-rate "of poor quality" is from 1814, ultimately from classification of ships (1640s); third class in railway travel is from 1839. Third Reich (1930) is a partial translation of German drittes Reich (1923). Third party in law, insurance, etc., is from 1818.

Medicine definitions for thirdly

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.

Related formsthird n.

third

adjective

noun

adverb

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Nearby words

Origin of third

Examples from the Web for thirdly

third

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

adverb

sentence connector

Word Origin for third

third

third

adj.