trilingual

[trahy-ling-gwuhl, -ling-gyoo-uhl]

adjective

1. using, speaking, or involving three languages.

trilingual

/ traɪˈlɪŋɡwəl /

adjective

1. able to speak three languages fluently

2. expressed or written in three languages

Other Word Forms

• trilingualism noun
• trilingually adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of trilingual¹

1825–35; < Latin trilingu ( is ) triple-tongued + -al ¹. See tri-, lingual

Example Sentences

“When we’re bilingual or trilingual, our brain is always working, and we’re able to use whatever language we can express ourselves in.”

From Seattle Times

"The best-case scenario is to have a parallel text — a so-called bilingual or trilingual — that presents approximately the same meaning, but in two or three different scripts or languages," Bonmann said.

From Scientific American

Since you're trilingual, did you need to improve your Korean fluency at all or, on the flip side – how did you prepare for the more broken English?

From Salon

American-made trilingual epic melodrama tells the story of four generations of a Korean family, first in Korea under Japanese colonial rule and then in Japan, where legal restrictions and discrimination kept them a people apart.

From Los Angeles Times

The Brazilian artist has been nothing short of phenomenal with her trilingual album “Versions of Me,” which was led by her single “Envolver.”

From Seattle Times

When To Use

What does trilingual mean?

Trilingual is most commonly used to describe someone who can speak or understand three languages, especially with some level of fluency.It can also be used to describe things that involve or that are written or spoken in three languages, as in These instructions are trilingual—they’re written in English, Spanish, and Chinese.The similar terms bilingual and multilingual are used in the same way, with bilingual indicating two languages and multilingual indicating more than two and especially several languages.The ability to speak three languages or the use of two languages is called trilingualism.Example: Being trilingual is a great advantage for many job seekers.