Definition of third order
1
: an organization composed of lay people living in secular society under a religious rule and directed by a religious order
2
: a congregation especially of teaching or nursing sisters affiliated with a religious order
Learn More About third order
Statistics for third order
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Third order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/third%20order. Accessed 28 May. 2022.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Great Words for Scrabble
-
- Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
-
You're (Probably) Saying It Wrong
18 words even you might be mispronouncing
-
Great Big List of Beautiful & Useless Words
Along with their degrees of usefulness
-
12 French Phrases from Downton Abbey
Many of us have an 'idée fixe'
-
Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 2
Sometimes a 'cacafuego' can be a real 'slubberdeg...
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
What’s on the Menu?
Sink your teeth into these questions about food.
Take the quiz
-
The Great British Vocabulary Quiz
Make sure you know the difference between a loo a...
Take the quiz
-
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz
"Most Likely to Use Obscure Words"
Take the quiz
-
Lexigo
Find the hidden words by solving the clues
Take the quiz
Share third order
Time Traveler for third order
The first known use of third order was in 1629
See more words from the same year