three

American  

[three] / θri /

noun

threes plural

1. a cardinal number, 2 plus 1.

2. a symbol for this number, as 3 or III.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with three pips.

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adjective

1. amounting to three in number.

idioms

1. three sheets in the wind. sheet.

three British  

/ θriː /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of two and one and is a prime number See also number

2. a numeral, 3, III, (iii), representing this number

3. the amount or quantity that is one greater than two

4. something representing, represented by, or consisting of three units such as a playing card with three symbols on it

5. Also called: three o'clock.  three hours after noon or midnight

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determiner

1. 1. amounting to three

      three ships

   2. ( as pronoun )

      three were killed

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• threes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of three

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English thrēo, thrīo, feminine and neuter of thrī(e); cognate with Dutch drie, German drei, Old Norse thrīr, Gothic threis, Greek treîs, Latin trēs “three,” ter “thrice,” Irish trí, Old Church Slavonic tri, Sanskrit trī, tráyas

Example Sentences

Stefan Johnson, who jumped into the water, had been on a refresher life-saving course just three weeks before the incident at Bryngarw Country Park in Bridgend.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

Earlier Tuesday, MLB announced replacements for three NL pitchers who won’t be eligible to appear in the All-Star Game.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

The GPT-5.6 series has three tiers: Sol, the company's new flagship model; Terra, a mid-range version for everyday work; and Luna, a fast, low-cost option.

From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026

Over the course of the last year, Smucker has taken three impairment charges tied to Hostess, totaling nearly $3 billion, and ratcheted back expectations for the brand’s long-term growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

After sticking around to watch Jonah win his race, the three of us — that is, he, I, and the lizard — finally find a game that I think I can win.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam