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three-legged

American  
[three-leg-id, -legd] / ˈθriˈlɛg ɪd, -ˈlɛgd /

adjective

  1. having three legs.

    a three-legged stool.

  2. Informal. (of a schooner) having three masts.


Etymology

Origin of three-legged

First recorded in 1590–1600

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.

See Examples For:

“It’s like a three-legged stool supporting the market today,” said Shannon Saccocia, chief investment officer of wealth at Neuberger Berman.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 15, 2026

Here’s why: Visualize your retirement as a three-legged stool.

From MarketWatch Jan. 27, 2026

The data shows that a large portion of people put a lot of weight on the "Social Security leg" of the three-legged stool.

From Salon Sep. 13, 2024

And so I think of accountability as kind of a three-legged stool.

From Slate Sep. 7, 2024

I would come into her room when she was busy writing in her notebooks or working with her three-legged table.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

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