trio

[ tree-oh ]

/ ˈtri oʊ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR trio ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural tri·os.

a musical composition for three voices or instruments.

a company of three singers or players.

any group of three persons or things.

a subordinate division of a minuet, scherzo, march, etc., usually in a contrasted key and style (perhaps originally written for three instruments or in three parts).

Nearby words

trinketry, trinocular, trinodal, trinomial, trinucleotide, trio, trio sonata, triode, trioecious, trioeciously, triol

Origin of trio

1715–25; < Italian, equivalent to tri- tri- + (du)o two

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for trio

The trio formed the Sad Boys collective, with Sherm and Gud on production and Lean manning the mic.
The Cult of Yung Lean: ‘I’m Building An Anarchistic Society From the Ground Up’|Marlow Stern|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
On Wednesday afternoon, the trio turned themselves in to the police.
The Monuments Men of Occupy Hong Kong|Brendon Hong|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Additionally, the so-called DDG-1000 can also carry either a pair of helicopters or a single helicopter and a trio of drones.
Can the Navy's $12 Billion Stealth Destroyer Stay Afloat?|Dave Majumdar|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now, the actress is back with a trio of standout performances in indie films.
The Resurrection of Kristen Stewart|Marlow Stern|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Rivers herself was the hardest-working person in Hollywood the trio said.
Melissa Rivers: Life After Joan—A Funny, Moving Celebration on a Special 'Fashion Police'|Tim Teeman|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then he shifted his gaze to the trio, eying them in a silence which was broken by Mr. Braden.
The Land of Strong Men|Arthur M. Chisholm
A misunderstanding between the trio resulted in the withdrawal of the two medical men before the structure was completed.
Florida: Past and present|Samuel Curtis Upham
Slightly to one side, the sleek line of a British cruiser was visible, and beyond it a trio of lean, wolfish destroyers.
The Caves of Fear|John Blaine
To her great satisfaction, Mabel was bracketed with her for the same day, and Dora Maxwell completed the trio.
A Fourth Form Friendship|Angela Brazil
Madame Schumann played finely in Mendelssohn's quintet, and a trio of Beethoven's.
George Eliot's Life, Vol. III (of 3)|George Eliot

British Dictionary definitions for trio

trio

/ (ˈtriːəʊ) /

noun plural trios

a group of three people or things

music

a group of three singers or instrumentalists or a piece of music composed for such a group
a subordinate section in a scherzo, minuet, etc, that is contrastive in style and often in a related key

piquet three cards of the same rank

Word Origin for trio

C18: from Italian, ultimately from Latin trēs three; compare duo

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012