triple

American  

[trip-uhl] / ˈtrɪp əl /

adjective

1. threefold; consisting of three parts.

   a triple knot.

2. of three kinds; threefold in character or relationship.

3. three times as great.

4. International Law. tripartite.

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noun

1. an amount, number, etc., three times as great as another.

2. a group, set, or series of three; something threefold; triad.

3. Also called three-base hit.  Baseball. a base hit that enables a batter to reach third base safely.

4. Bowling. three strikes in succession.

5. trifecta.

verb (used with object)

tripled, tripling

1. to make triple.

2. Baseball. to cause to come into home plate by a triple.

   to triple a runner home; to triple a run in.

verb (used without object)

tripled, tripling

1. to become triple.

2. Baseball. to make a triple.

triple British  

/ ˈtrɪpəl /

adjective

1. consisting of three parts; threefold

2. (of musical time or rhythm) having three beats in each bar

3. three times as great or as much

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noun

1. a threefold amount

2. a group of three

verb

1. to increase or become increased threefold; treble

Usage

What is a basic definition of triple? Triple describes something as being made of three parts or being three times as great. Triple also means a set of three. The word triple has several other senses as an adjective, noun, and verb. In any sense, the word triple always has to do with the number three.Triple often describes something that is made of three parts or contains three of something.

• Real-life examples: A triple-layer cake has three layers. A triple homicide involves the murder of three people. A triple-decker bus has three decks of seats. A cardplayer who has triple aces has three cards with aces on them.
• Used in a sentence: My famous triple-layer cake has two layers of chocolate cake and one layer of vanilla cake. 

Triple also often describes something that is three times as great as something else. For example, a couch that is triple the price of another couch costs three times as much.

• Used in a sentence: I sold my bike for $300, which is triple the $100 I paid for it.  

In this sense, triple is used as a verb to mean to multiply something by three. For example, if you triple 2, you get 6 because 2 x 3 = 6.

• Used in a sentence: I think I will triple the tablespoons of sugar in the next batch of lemonade from 2 tablespoons to 6. 

Triple is also a noun that means a set of three. The word triplet is also commonly used in this sense.

• Used in a sentence: The shirts were packaged together in triples of red, white, and blue.

Other Word Forms

• triply adverb

Etymology

Origin of triple

1325–75; Middle English (noun and v.) < Latin triplus (adj.), equivalent to tri- tri- + ( du ) plus duple

Example Sentences

All four were among the largest risers in the S&P 500 last year, jumping by triple digits as artificial intelligence boosted demand for memory chips and data storage.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

By one count, the triple lock costs about £12 billion more per year than if payouts had increased solely in line with average earnings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

As China hit back with tariffs of its own, the tit-for-tat exchange sent tariff rates spiralling into the triple digits and for a few weeks brought trade between the two giants to a screeching halt.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Orange Lutheran started fast with a two-run triple by CJ Weinstein in the first inning.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

I once saw him get a triple double against Pennsville—sixteen assists, eighteen points, ten rebounds.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

Related Words

• threefold