trilogy

noun

tril·​o·​gy ˈtri-lə-jē 

plural trilogies

: a series of three dramas or literary works or sometimes three musical compositions that are closely related and develop a single theme

Did you know?

Dozens of tragic trilogies were written for the Greek stage, though only one, Aeschylus's great Oresteia (consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, *and *The Eumenides), has survived complete. Authors in later years have occasionally chosen to create trilogies to allow themselves to develop a highly complex story or cover a long span of time. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings wasn't actually intended as a trilogy, but since it was published in three volumes it's usually called one. George Lucas's three original Star Wars movies are an example of a film trilogy (which he followed many years later by another).

Examples of trilogy in a Sentence

the last book in the trilogy

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s the question at the center of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the continuation of Andy Serkis' trilogy that jumps ahead 300 years after 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 7 June 2024

The filmmaker, 74, who directed the musical trilogy starring Ashley Tisdale, 38, and Vanessa Hudgens, 35, opened up to PEOPLE at the 2024 Cam for a Cause Gala on Sunday, June 2 about the actresses’ pregnancies. —Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 3 June 2024

The final movie trilogy released between 2015 and 2019 starred women and people of color. —Kimberly Aguirre, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024

When The Force Awakens arrived at the end of 2015, there was still high hopes among fans for the trilogy helmed by Disney. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 28 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek trilogia, from tri- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

circa 1661, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

trilogy

noun

tril·​o·​gy ˈtril-ə-jē 

plural trilogies

: a series of three literary, dramatic, or musical works that are closely related and develop a single theme