three

noun

ˈthrē How to pronounce three (audio)
1
: a number that is one more than 2 see Table of Numbers
2
: the third in a set or series
the three of hearts
3
a
: something having three units or members
b
: three-pointer
three adjective
three pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of three in a Sentence

“What time is it?” “It's three.” I leave each day at three.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fast forward to the first day of training camp, when Stidham ran the second unit and Ehlinger piloted the threes, and Payton was asked again whether a competition had begun. — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Among the 32 players in the NBA who took seven or more threes per game last regular season, Thompson posted the 11th-best three-point percentage. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 Caitlin Clark added 17 points which consisted of some deep threes that helped her team amass an early lead. — Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Not only is Clark the most notable WNBA player (really the only notable player) to shoot logo threes, but State Farm built an entire marketing campaign around her long-distance triples. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for three

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from three, adjective, from Old English thrīe (masculine), thrēo (feminine & neuter); akin to Old High German drī three, Latin tres, Greek treis

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of three was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing three

Rhymes for three

See All Rhymes for three

Browse Nearby Words

threats action
three
three-arm protractor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Three.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/three. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

three

noun
ˈthrē How to pronounce three (audio)
1
: a number that is one more than 2 see number
2
: the third in a set or series
the three of hearts
3
a
: something having three units or members
b
: three-pointer
three adjective or pronoun

More from Merriam-Webster on three

Nglish: Translation of three for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All