tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd 

1

: a three-legged stand (as for a camera)

2

: a stool, table, or altar with three legs

3

: a vessel (such as a cauldron) resting on three legs

tripod adjective

or tripodal

ˈtri-pə-dᵊl 

ˈtrī-ˌpä-

Examples of tripod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An iron pot that hangs from a tripod. —Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026

Before me is a suite of gear assembled the night before — a manual camera with a telephoto lens on a tripod, a smart telescope and, now around my neck, a pair of 10x50 binoculars. —Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Apr. 2026

The device follows the familiar binocular-style design, weighing around 410 g (11 oz) and built for handheld use, with tripod support for longer sessions. —New Atlas, 8 Apr. 2026

While the training set-up is necessarily minimalist, a camera is always well-positioned on a tall tripod to capture Mudryk’s movements. —Liam Twomey, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tripod-, tripus, from Greek tripod-, tripous, from tripod-, tripous, adjective, three-footed, from tri- + pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tripod

• abroad
• applaud
• backboard
• ballade
• defraud
• ephod
• facade
• guffawed
• outlawed
• ramrod
• roughshod
• slipshod

Kids Definition

tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd 

1

: something (as a container or stool) resting on three legs

2

: a three-legged stand (as for a camera)

Medical Definition

tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd 

: a bone having three processes