third

[ thurd ]

/ θɜrd /

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See synonyms for: third / thirds on Thesaurus.com

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.

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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

thirdly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use third in a sentence

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, that great damages result because of the division of jurisdiction between the Audiencia and captain-general.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
It had been aroused a little by the stranger himself; secondly by their scared faces; thirdly by this close conference.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Steiner, thirdly, built on a higher model still, and his instruments have a thin piercing tone.
Violins and Violin Makers|Joseph Pearce
And thirdly he knew that his adversary would cheat if he could and that his adversary suspected him of fraudulent designs.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
Mark the order: First, the sproutage; second, seed-bearing herbs; and thirdly, fruit-bearing trees.
Gospel Philosophy|J. H. Ward

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

third

Origin of third

OTHER WORDS FROM third

Words related to third

How to use third in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for third

Derived forms of third

Word Origin for third