having three units or components or elements; "a ternary operation"; "a treble row of red beads"; "overcrowding made triple sessions necessary"; "triple time has three beats per measure"; "triplex windows"
noun
1.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one [syn: three]
ternaryprogramming A description of an operator taking three arguments. The only common example is C's ?: operator which is used in the form "CONDITION ? EXP1 : EXP2" and returns EXP1 if CONDITION is true else EXP2. Haskell has a similar "if CONDITION then EXP1 else EXP2" operator. See also unary, binary. (1998-07-29)
Ter"na*ry\, a. [L. ternarius, fr. terni. See Tern, a.]1. Proceeding by threes; consisting of three; as, the ternary number was anciently esteemed a symbol of perfection, and held in great veneration. 2. (Chem.) Containing, or consisting of, three different parts, as elements, atoms, groups, or radicals, which are regarded as having different functions or relations in the molecule; thus, sodic hydroxide, NaOH, is a ternary compound.
Ter"na*ry\, n.; pl. Ternaries. A ternion; the number three; three things taken together; a triad. Some in ternaries, some in pairs, and some single. --Holder.
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