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three

One more than two; two and one. I offer thee three things. Three solemn aisles approach the shrine. (Keble)

Three is often joined with other words, forming compounds signifying divided into, composed of, or containing, three parts, portions, organs, or the like; as, three-branched, three-capsuled, three-celled, three-cleft, three-edged, three-foot, three-footed, three-forked, three-grained, three-headed, three-legged, three-mouthed, three-nooked, three-petaled, three-pronged, three-ribbed, three-seeded, three-stringed, three-toed, and the like.

Origin: OE. Thre, threo, thri, AS. Thri, masc, threo, fem. And neut.; akin to OFries. Thre, OS. Thria, threa, D. Drie, G. Drei, OHG. Dri, Icel. Thrir, Dan. & Sw. Tre, Goth. Threis, Lith. Trys, Ir, Gael. & W. Tri, Russ. Tri, L. Tres, Gr. Trei^s, Skr. Tri. 301. Cf. 3d Drilling, Tern, Third, Thirteen, Thirty, Tierce, Trey, Tri-, Triad, Trinity, Tripod.

1. The number greater by a unit than two; three units or objects.

2. A symbol representing three units, as 3 or III. Rule of three.

(Science: mathematics) See rule.