three Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
    deuce-ace; trio; triplet; tercet; tierce; troika; trey; 3; ternion; trine; ternary; triad; threesome; leash; III; trinity; terzetto.
  2. noun one of four playing cards in a deck having three pips
    trey.
  3. adjective satellite being one more than two
    3; iii.

WordNet

Three adjective
Etymology
OE. þre, þreo, þri, AS. þri, masc., þreó, fem. and neut.; akin to OFries. thre, OS. thria, threa, D. drie, G. drei, OHG. dri, Icel. þrir, Dan. & Sw. tre, Goth. þreis, Lith. trys, Ir., Gael. & W. tri, Russ. tri, L. tres, Gr. trei^s, Skr. tri. *301. Cf. 3d Drilling, Tern, a., Third, Thirteen, Thirty, Tierce, Trey, Tri-, Triad, Trinity, Tripod.
Definitions
  1. One more than two; two and one. "I offer thee three things." 2 Sam. xxiv. 12.
    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.
Three noun
Definitions
  1. The number greater by a unit than two; three units or objects.
  2. A symbol representing three units, as 3 or iii.

Webster 1913