trio

American  

[tree-oh] / ˈtri oʊ /

noun

plural

trios

1. a musical composition for three voices or instruments.

2. a company of three singers or players.

3. any group of three persons or things.

4. 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).

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trio British  

/ ˈtriːəʊ /

noun

1. a group of three people or things

2. music

   1. a group of three singers or instrumentalists or a piece of music composed for such a group

   2. a subordinate section in a scherzo, minuet, etc, that is contrastive in style and often in a related key

3. piquet three cards of the same rank

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Etymology

Origin of trio

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

Example Sentences

The trio moonlighted as landlords themselves, owning an apartment building across the street from their East Hollywood office.

From Los Angeles Times

Defending champions Ivory Coast failed to join the trio after drawing 1-1 with Cameroon in a lively Marrakesh showdown.

From Barron's

Markets were assailed by a trio of disruptive forces this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

The trio went into the final jump of the three-mile race together, with The Jukebox Man coming down in third.

From BBC

All of the trio - plus dozens of others - have been persuaded to get behind the decks at a cult Glasgow club night, Pretty Ugly.

From BBC

Related Words

• threesome
• trilogy
• triumvirate