three

noun

ˈthrē 

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

Three-point shooting is also a strength for the Cavaliers, finishing the regular season with the NBA’s second-best team three-point shooting percentage at 38.3 percent while taking the fourth-most threes in the league at 41.5 per game. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025

Four threes in each of his first three playoff games against the 76ers. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025

That ranked fourth among all players to attempt at least 300 threes off the dribble. —Shane Young, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

In fact, McIlroy became the first player in the history of The Masters to start his round with six consecutive threes on the scorecard. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing three

• best (out) of three/five/seven
• the three R's
• thirty-three
• three-bagger
• three-ball
• three-card monte
• three cheers for
• three-color
• three-cornered
• three-decker
• three-dimensional
• three-gaited
• three-handed
• three-legged
• three-legged race
• three-mile limit
• three of a kind
• three-peat
• three-phase
• three-piece
• three-piece suit
• three-piece suite
• three-ply
• three-pointer
• three-point landing
• three-point line
• three-point turn
• three-quarter
• three-quarter-bound
• three-quarters
• three-ring circus
• three R's
• three sheets in the wind
• three sheets to the wind
• three-spined stickleback
• three-toed sloth
• three-way
• three-wheeler
• two's company, three's a crowd

Rhymes for three

• be
• bee
• bree
• cree
• fee
• flea
• flee
• free
• gee
• ghee
• glee
• he

Kids Definition

three

noun

ˈthrē 

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