third dimension

noun

1
: thickness, depth
also : a dimension that adds the effect of solidity to a two-dimensional system
2
: a quality that confers reality or lifelikeness
night sounds that stick in the mind and give a third dimension to the memoryAdie Suehsdorf
third-dimensional
ˈthərd- də-ˈmench-nəl How to pronounce third dimension (audio)
-ˈmen(t)-shə-nᵊl
adjective

Examples of third dimension in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Another component of the third dimension of assessment of attractiveness is probably just individual differences. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2011 But, nearly invisibly, the war is also being waged along a third dimension: intelligence. Mark Galeotti, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2014 Folds in the cerebral cortex introduce a third dimension there too. R. Douglas Fields, Quanta Magazine, 19 Apr. 2023 And things like third dimension This was the style in the ‘30s and ‘40s, to introduce a song with a verse. BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2023 Theoretically, if the system simply generalized its 2D optimal packing to the third dimension, researchers would expect to see grid cells fire in spherical patches, neatly arranged in a hexagonal 3D lattice structure, much like a stack of oranges in a grocery store. Quanta Magazine, 14 Oct. 2021 The solution: Instead of living with the limitations imposed by a two-dimensional world, what’s needed is a third dimension of mobility — which is exactly what advanced aerial mobility vehicles like air taxis and autonomous cargo aircraft promise to create. Jia Xu, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021 So, La Frontera is a project where these two countries come together, and there is this third country, this third dimension that emerges. Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023 Distortions of the genetic map tells about variations in elevation in the third dimension on the geographic map! Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 15 July 2010 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'third dimension.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of third dimension was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near third dimension

Cite this Entry

“Third dimension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third%20dimension. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

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