adjective
1.
next after the second; being the ordinal number for three.
2.
being one of three equal parts.
3.
Automotive. of, pertaining 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
5.
a third part, especially of one (1/3).
6.
the third member of a series.
7.
Automotive. third gear: Don't try to start a car when it's in third.
8.
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.
9.
EXPANDUsually, thirds. Law.
a.
the third part of the personal property of a deceased husband, which in certain circumstances goes absolutely to the widow.
b.
a widow's dower.
10.
Music.
a.
a tone on the third degree from a given tone (counted as the first).
b.
the interval between such tones.
c.
the harmonic combination of such tones.
11.
Baseball. third base.
12.
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Thirdly
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
adverb
13.
in the third place; thirdly.
Origin:
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
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
Related forms
third·ly, adverb
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To thirdly
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World English Dictionary
| third (θɜːd) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | a. 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 |
| b. (as noun): he arrives on the third; the third got a prize | |
| 2. | rated, graded, or ranked below the second level |
| 3. | denoting the third from lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle |
| —n | |
| 4. | a. one of three equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, etc |
| b. (as modifier): a third part | |
| 5. | the fraction equal to one divided by three (1/3) |
| 6. | the forward ratio above second of a gearbox in a motor vehicle. In some vehicles it is the top gear |
| 7. | a. the interval between one note and another three notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale |
| b. interval major See also minor one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other | |
| 8. | (Brit) Full term: third class honours degree an honours degree of the third and usually the lowest class |
| 9. | (plural) goods of a standard lower than that of seconds |
| —adv | |
| 10. | Also: thirdly in the third place |
| —sentence connector | |
| 11. | Also: thirdly as the third point: linking what follows with the previous statements as in a speech or argument |
| [Old English thirda, variant of thridda; related to Old Frisian thredda, Old Saxon thriddio, Old High German drittio, Old Norse thrithi, Latin tertius] | |
| 'thirdly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
third
O.E. metathesis of þridda, from P.Gmc. *thridjas (cf. O.Fris. thredda, O.S. thriddio, M.L.G. drudde, Du. derde, O.H.G. dritto, Ger. dritte, O.N. þriðe, Goth. þridja), from PIE *tritjos (cf. Skt. trtiyas, Avestan thritya, Gk. tritos, L. tertius, O.C.S. tretiji, Lith. trecias, O.Ir.
EXPANDtriss). Related to O.E. þreo (see three). Metathesis of thrid into third is attested from c.950 in Northumbria, but thrid was prevalent up to 16c. The noun meaning "third part of anything" is recorded from 1382. Third rail in electric railway sense is recorded from 1890. Third World War as a possibility first recorded 1947. Third-rate "of poor quality" is from 1814, ult. from classification of ships (1649); third class in railway travel is from 1839. Third Reich (1930) is a partial transl. of Ger. drittes Reich (1923). Third party in law, insurance, etc., is from 1818.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
third (thûrd)
adj.
Coming next after second, as in order, rank, or time.
Being the digit that is adjacent to and is on the outermost side of the second digit, as on a foot.
third n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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