triskelion

[ trih-skel-ee-on, -uhn, trahy- ]

/ trɪˈskɛl iˌɒn, -ən, traɪ- /

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noun, plural tris·kel·i·a

[trih-skel-ee-uh, trahy-]. /trɪˈskɛl i ə, traɪ-/.

a symbolic figure consisting of three legs, arms, or branches radiating from a common center, as the device of Sicily and the Isle of Man.

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Also tris·kele

[tris-keel, trahy-skeel]. /ˈtrɪs kil, ˈtraɪ skil/.

Origin of triskelion

1855–60; <Greek triskel(ḗs) three-legged (tri-tri- + skél(os) leg + -ēs adj. suffix) + -ion diminutive suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use triskelion in a sentence

It is clear the was a far older and more widely spread symbol than the triskele, as well as a more purely Aryan one.
The Swastika|Thomas Wilson
I have already (p. 213) referred to the ultimate fate of the triskele.
Evolution in Art|Alfred C. Haddon
An interesting example of the transformation of a symbol into an emblem is found in the case of the triskele or triquetra.
Evolution in Art|Alfred C. Haddon
In various places transition occur between the tetraskele and triskele (Fig. 130, I).
Evolution in Art|Alfred C. Haddon

The triskele and the circles are sometimes found on faces figured on coins.
The Religion of the Ancient Celts|J. A. MacCulloch

British Dictionary definitions for triskelion

triskelion

triskele (ˈtrɪskiːl)

/ (trɪˈskɛlɪˌɒn, -ən) /

noun plural triskelia (trɪˈskɛlɪə) or triskeles

a symbol consisting of three bent limbs or lines radiating from a centre

Word Origin for triskelion

C19: from Greek triskelēs three-legged, from tri- + skelos leg

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