third base

1 of 2

noun (1)

1

: the base that must be touched third by a base runner in baseball

2

: the player position for defending the area around third base

3

slang + impolite : amorous touching or caressing especially of the genitals

—usually used in phrases like get to third base or reach third base

One boy told everyone he got to third base with her when she didn't even know what counted as third base, but unless it was French-kissing, he hadn't.

—Meryl Wilsner

compare first base sense 4, home base sense 3, second base sense 3

third baseman noun

third baseman

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the baseball player stationed at the third-base position

Examples of third base in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a runner on third base

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On Tuesday, Roberts also inserted right-handed hitting Kiké Hernández into the lineup, batting ninth and playing third base. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Wells ran through a stop sign from third base coach Luis Rojas, who raised both arms before Wells rounded second. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

The throw came in from right field to the shortstop and from the shortstop to third base with plenty of time. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026

The Tigers put up padding on the area of the fence down the left field line and behind third base after Gelof’s collision. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for third base

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase

Kids Definition

third base

noun

: the base that must be touched third by a base runner in baseball or the position of the player defending the area around it