third

/θərd/
/θəd/
IPA guide

Other forms: thirds

Definitions of third
  1. noun
    one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
    “it contains approximately a third of the minimum daily requirement”
    synonyms: one-third, tierce
    see moresee less
    type of:
    common fraction, simple fraction
    the quotient of two integers
  2. noun
    following the second position in an ordering or series
    “a distant third”
    “he answered the first question willingly, the second reluctantly, and the third with resentment”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    rank
    relative status
  3. noun
    the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed near the third of the bases in the infield (counting counterclockwise from home plate)
    “he is playing third”
    synonyms: third base
    see moresee less
    type of:
    position
    (in team sports) the role assigned to an individual player
  4. noun
    the base that must be touched third by a base runner in baseball
    “he was cut down on a close play at third”
    synonyms: third base
    see moresee less
    type of:
    bag, base
    a place that the runner must touch before scoring
  5. noun
    the musical interval between one note and another three notes away from it
    “a simple harmony written in major thirds”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    interval, musical interval
    the difference in pitch between two notes
  6. noun
    the third from the lowest forward ratio gear in the gear box of a motor vehicle
    “you shouldn't try to start in third gear”
    synonyms: third gear
    see moresee less
    type of:
    gear, gear mechanism
    a mechanism for transmitting motion for some specific purpose (as the steering gear of a vehicle)
  7. adjective
    coming next after the second and just before the fourth in position
    synonyms: 3rd, tertiary
    ordinal
    being or denoting a numerical order in a series
  8. adverb
    in the third place
    “third we must consider unemployment”
    synonyms: thirdly
Pronunciation
US
/θərd/
UK
/θəd/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘third'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of soonshin.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family