tern-aries

adjective

consisting of or involving three; threefold; triple.

third in order or rank.

based on the number three.

Chemistry.

consisting of three different elements or groups.

(formerly) consisting of three atoms.

Mathematics. having three variables.

Metallurgy. (of an alloy) having three principal constituents.

noun

a group of three.

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a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

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Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin ternārius made up of three. See tern², -ary

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary

ternary (ˈtɜːnərɪ)

—*adj*
1.	consisting of three or groups of three
2.	maths
	a. (of a number system) to the base three
	b. involving or containing three variables
3.	(of an alloy, mixture, or chemical compound) having three different components or composed of three different elements

—n , -ries
4.	a group of three

[C14: from Latin ternārius, from ternī three each]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

ternary ter·na·ry (tûr'nə-rē)
adj.
Composed of three or arranged in threes, as a chemical compound containing three elements. n.
A group of three.

Matching Quote

"Look you, Doubloon, your zodiac here is the life of man in one round chapter.... To begin: there's Aries, or the Ram—lecherous dog, he begets us; then, Taurus, or the Bull—he bumps us the first thing; then Gemini, or the Twins—that is, Virtue and Vice; we try to reach Virtue, when lo! comes Cancer the Crab, and drags us back; and here, going from Virtue, Leo, a roaring Lion, lies in the path—he gives a few fierce bites and surly dabs with his paw; we escape, and hail Virgo, the virgin! that's our first love; we marry and think to be happy for aye, when pop comes Libra, or the Scales—happiness weighed and found wanting; and while we are very sad about that, Lord! how we suddenly jump, as Scorpio, or the Scorpion, stings us in rear; we are curing the wound, when whang come the arrows all round; Sagittarius, or the Archer, is amusing himself. As we pluck out the shafts, stand aside! here's the battering-ram, Capricornus, or the Goat; full tilt, he comes rushing, and headlong we are tossed; when Aquarius, or the Waterbearer, pours out his whole deluge and drowns us; and, to wind up, with Pisces, or the Fishes, we sleep."

-Herman Melville

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