trilingual
Americanadjective
adjective
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able to speak three languages fluently
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expressed or written in three languages
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of trilingual
1825–35; < Latin trilingu ( is ) triple-tongued + -al 1. See tri-, lingual
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.
Trilingual negotiation had its limits, and he had thought we wanted a pick-up there.
From BBC • Jul. 31, 2015
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.
