thrice
Americanadverb
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three times, as in succession; on three occasions or in three ways.
-
in threefold quantity or degree.
-
very; extremely.
adverb
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three times
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in threefold degree
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archaic greatly
Etymology
Origin of thrice
1150–1200; Middle English thries, equivalent to obsolete thrie thrice ( Old English thrīga ) + -s -s 1
Explanation
Thrice is an old-fashioned way to talk about doing something three times. You could say, "I swung the bat at the piñata thrice." You're most likely to come across the adverb thrice in a book, since it's a stiff, formal way to say "three times." Just for fun, you could use it in a note to your cat sitter: "Please feed Fluffy thrice daily," to scold your younger brother: "I've asked you thrice not to throw that ball in the house," or to brag about your travels: "I've thrice been to Madagascar."
Vocabulary lists containing thrice
Excerpt from "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar"
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"Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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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.
Johnson has good form despite his concerns - he and partner Hattie Cronin, from Woking, are two-time UK champions, returning to see if lightning strikes thrice.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026
Already, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates thrice last year as the jobs market weakened, before pausing in January to assess the situation.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
But if you do, read the fine print twice, or thrice.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 5, 2026
Repeat the process twice or thrice more, until you’ve used up nearly all of your stock.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2025
"He has ridden out with his knights thrice already, to chase down raiders or storm a stubborn holdfast."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
