Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for third

third

[ thurd ]

adjective

  1. next after the second; being the ordinal number for three.
  2. being one of three equal parts.
  3. Automotive. of, relating to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft speed is greater than that of second gear for a given engine crankshaft speed, but not as great as that of fourth gear, if such exists:

    third gear.

  4. rated, graded, or ranked one level below the second:

    He's third engineer on the ship.



noun

  1. a third part, especially of one (1/3).
  2. the third member of a series.
  3. Automotive. third gear:

    Don't try to start a car when it's in third.

  4. a person or thing next after second in rank, precedence, order:

    The writer of the best essay will receive a gold medal, the second a silver, and the third a bronze.

  5. Usually thirds. Law.
    1. the third part of the personal property of a deceased husband, which in certain circumstances goes absolutely to the widow.
    2. a widow's dower.
  6. Music.
    1. a tone on the third degree from a given tone (counted as the first).
    2. the interval between such tones.
    3. the harmonic combination of such tones.
  7. Baseball. third base.
  8. Usually thirds. Commerce. a product or goods below second quality. Compare first ( def 17 ), second 1( def 23 ).

adverb

  1. in the third place; thirdly.

third

/ θɜːd /

adjective

    1. coming after the second and preceding the fourth in numbering or counting order, position, time, etc; being the ordinal number of three: often written 3rd
    2. ( as noun )

      he arrives on the third

      the third got a prize

  1. rated, graded, or ranked below the second level
  2. denoting the third from lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle
“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


noun

    1. one of three equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, etc
    2. ( as modifier )

      a third part

  1. the fraction equal to one divided by three ( 1 3 )
  2. the forward ratio above second of a gearbox in a motor vehicle. In some vehicles it is the top gear
    1. the interval between one note and another three notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale
    2. one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other See also interval major minor
  3. an honours degree of the third and usually the lowest class Full termthird class honours degree
  4. plural goods of a standard lower than that of seconds
“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

adverb

  1. Alsothirdly in the third place
“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

sentence connector

  1. Alsothirdly as the third point: linking what follows with the previous statements as in a speech or argument
“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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈthirdly, adverb
Discover More

Other Words From

  • thirdly adverb
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of third1

before 900; Middle English thirde, Old English (north) thirda, variant of thridda; cognate with Dutch derde, German dritte, Old Norse thrithi, Gothic thridja, Greek trítos, Latin tertius, Sanskrit tṛtīya. See three
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of third1

Old English thirda, variant of thridda; related to Old Frisian thredda, Old Saxon thriddio, Old High German drittio, Old Norse thrithi, Latin tertius
Discover More

Example Sentences

The third suspect, an 18-year-old named Hamyd Mourad, who turned himself in, is part of the same extended family.

Officials have said the war to reclaim upward of a third of Iraq and a quarter of Syria from ISIS could take years.

Third parties in turn quibbled with his accounts, and he was irritated, but not overly so.

The third problem is the evidence of corroborating witnesses.

Murders are slightly down from 414 last year, but have fallen by about one—third since 2003.

But the Mexican caballeros had no notion of coming up to the scratch a third time.

This was somewhat tiresome; and, after a rather feeble attempt at a third laugh, Davy said, "I don't feel like it any more."

It occurred to him then, for the first time, that a third resource was open—he might cut the rope, and let the kite go free!

On the third day after the declaration of his recall, Ripperda took his official leave, and presented his son in his new office.

The third boat and kite had been damaged beyond repair, but the two left were sufficient.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


thiramThird Age