three

American  

[three] / θri /

noun

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

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

Leclerc started the pit stop period on lap 17, Piastri following him in a lap later and Russell three laps after that.

From BBC

“We were not sharp in any facet of the game. It’s not good enough,” said Smith, after Utah scored two goals on the power play and three in transition.

From Los Angeles Times

Thick layers of dust smother giant grinding and pressing machines, while only a tiny crew of workers transfer the last batch made three weeks ago off snaking assembly lines and into trucks.

From Barron's

"I get calls from seafarers at two o'clock, three o'clock in the morning. They call me the minute they have access to the internet," Arrachedi said on Wednesday by telephone from Spain.

From Barron's

David Smith, head of the marine arm at specialist insurance broker McGill, meanwhile estimated it at "anywhere between three and-a-half and 10 percent".

From Barron's