treble

American  

[treb-uhl] / ˈtrɛb əl /

adjective

1. threefold; triple.

2. Music.

   1. of or relating to the highest part in harmonized music; soprano.

   2. of the highest pitch or range, as a voice part, voice, singer, or instrument.

   3. high in pitch; shrill.

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noun

trebles plural

1. Music.

   1. the treble or soprano part.

   2. a treble voice, singer, or instrument.

2. a high or shrill voice or sound.

3. the highest-pitched peal of a bell.

verb (used with or without object)

trebles, present (3rd person singular) trebled, past participle, past trebling present participle

1. to make or become three times as much or as many; triple.

treble British  

/ ˈtrɛbəl /

adjective

1. threefold; triple

2. of, relating to, or denoting a soprano voice or part or a high-pitched instrument

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noun

1. three times the amount, size, etc

2. a soprano voice or part or a high-pitched instrument

3. the highest register of a musical instrument

4. 1. the high-frequency response of an audio amplifier, esp in a record player or tape recorder

   2. a control knob on such an instrument by means of which the high-frequency gain can be increased or decreased

5. Leisure:Bell-ringing the lightest and highest bell in a ring

6. 1. the narrow inner ring on a dartboard

   2. a hit on this ring

verb

1. to make or become three times as much

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• trebleness
  noun
• trebly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• trebles
  plural

Participles

• trebling
  present
• trebled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• treble
  simple
• trebles
  simple
• have trebled
  perfect
• has trebled
  perfect
• am trebling
  progressive
• are trebling
  progressive
• is trebling
  progressive
• have been trebling
  perfect progressive
• has been trebling
  perfect progressive

Past

• trebled
  simple
• had trebled
  perfect
• was trebling
  progressive
• were trebling
  progressive
• had been trebling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will treble
  simple
• will have trebled
  perfect
• will be trebling
  progressive
• will have been trebling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of treble

1275–1325; (adj. and noun) Middle English < Middle French < Latin triplus triple; (v.) Middle English treblen, derivative of the adj.

Explanation

Something that's treble has three parts or sections. You could describe a tricycle as a treble wheeled vehicle. You can use the adjective treble to mean "triple," either because it's three times as large, or has three components. If you watch three movies in a row at a theater, you can call it a treble feature. A three-headed monster can also be described as treble headed. Another meaning of treble is a high-pitched singing voice, especially a boy's. Treble comes from the Latin word triplus, or "threefold."

Example Sentences

A treble for Messi and doubles for Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland - the big boys came out to play.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

But Liman denied Lively’s request for treble and punitive damages, concluding that the procedural mechanism her lawyers used permitted recovery of attorneys fees and costs but not broader financial penalties.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

While City are aiming for a domestic treble, Arsenal now have a realistic chance of claiming both the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Starting with Monday's trip to Stones' former side Everton, City face a spell of six games in 21 days as they look to end the season by claiming a domestic treble.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

There’s also a treble clef, a dancing avocado, and a couple of book-related ones: “Graphic Novels Are Real Books” and “Read More, Ban Less.”

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• high-pitched
• soprano