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• triad
  triad

  noun

  a group of three, especially of three closely related persons or things.
• Triad
  Triad

  noun

  any of several Chinese secret societies, esp one involved in criminal activities, such as drug trafficking

triad

American  

[trahy-ad, -uhd] / ˈtraɪ æd, -əd /

noun

• triads
  plural

1. a group of three, especially of three closely related persons or things.

2. Chemistry.

   1. an element, atom, or group having a valence of three.

   2. a group of three closely related compounds or elements, as isomers or halides.

3. Music. a chord of three tones, especially one consisting of a given tone with its major or minor third and its perfect, augmented, or diminished fifth.

4. Military. Triad, the three categories of delivery systems for strategic nuclear weapons, namely bombers, land-based missiles, and missile-firing submarines.

   The report says this missile is required in order to sustain an effective air leg of the Triad.

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triad ¹ British  

/ ˈtraɪæd /

noun

1. a group of three; trio

2. chem an atom, element, group, or ion that has a valency of three

3. music a three-note chord consisting of a note and the third and fifth above it

4. an aphoristic literary form used in medieval Welsh and Irish literature

5. the US strategic nuclear force, consisting of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and bombers

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Triad ² British  

/ ˈtraɪæd /

noun

1. any of several Chinese secret societies, esp one involved in criminal activities, such as drug trafficking

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• triadism
  noun
• triadic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• triads
  plural

Etymology

Origin of triad

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin triad- (stem of trias ), from Greek triás; see tri-, -ad ¹

Explanation

A triad is three things or people considered as one unit. A triad is a trio. A triangle is a shape with three sides. Similarly, a triad is a set of three things or people. To be a triad, three individual parts must also be considered a unit. A band with three members is a triad. A business with three divisions is a triad. A family with three members is a triad. A book with three volumes is a triad (usually called a trilogy). Triads are also called threesomes and trios.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

triad Triad triads

In one 2022 study, researchers explored whether increasing agreeableness would decrease levels of what is called the dark triad — or Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

For the first time it publicly confirmed Beijing's "nuclear triad" of air, submarine and land capabilities.

From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026

This will provide needed targeting flexibility and increase the value of the most ready and responsive leg of our triad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026

And mind you, my old service “owns” two legs of America’s nuclear triad.

From Salon ● Dec. 7, 2025

Just as we might call Dunstaple’s contemporary Geoffrey Chaucer the father of English literature, so we should call John Dunstaple the father of the triad, and therefore of the Western harmonic system.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

The case to replace the entire Triad with new weapons began with an act of deception.

From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2024

While a mid-credits scene sets up a possible second season – with the Triad informant possibly being targeted – Wu hasn't solidified any plans yet.

From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2024

“He had enormous culturally influential success in three different industries — comedy with Catch, music with Pat Benatar and restaurants with Columbus,” Mr. Martin, his business partner in the Triad, said by email.

From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2023

The police confirmed that the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau would be gathering evidence on whether the incidents breached the National Anthem Ordinance or other legislation.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 10, 2022

Returned to the Triad in time for dinner.

From Gallipoli Diary, Volume 2 by Sir Ian Hamilton

The number three speaks to the idea of balance and the mystical idea that certain energies can only be accessed through triads.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2024

Experimenters assigned some triads to go through a bonding session, where they were grouped according to color preferences, given uniforms, and led through an introductory chat session to build familiarity.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 20, 2024

Some are one mother, one daughter, while others are triads like the Escobedo women — Cecilia and daughters Cindy and Abigail.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2022

It felt a little bit like middle school, when pairs or triads would declare themselves best friends—a label that, like the label of podmate, comes with expectations of loyalty, and priority.

From Slate ● Mar. 9, 2021

As the nineteenth century progressed, though, the lure of the three governing triads, I, IV and V began to pall and the strength of the previously well-defined chords began to blur.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• triumvirate