triumvirate

noun

tri·​um·​vi·​rate trī-ˈəm-və-rət 

1

: a body of triumvirs

2

: the office or government of triumvirs

3

: a group or association of three

Did you know?

The first triumvirate of the Roman Republic, which consisted of Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, was simply an alliance or partnership, not a formal institution of the government. The alliance didn't last long, however, and Caesar eventually emerged with total power. This led to his assassination, after which a second triumvirate took over, with Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus dividing the Roman world among themselves. But these triumvirs also soon turned on one another, with Octavian alone taking power; in time he would become Rome's first emperor.

Synonyms

• threesome
• triad
• trifecta
• trinity
• trio
• triple
• triplet

Examples of triumvirate in a Sentence

among the city's cultural institutions, the art museum, the symphony orchestra, and the opera company reign as the supreme triumvirate

Recent Examples on the Web

Napoli’s dressing room is run by the Italian triumvirate of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Matteo Politano and Leonardo Spinazzola — their team-mates are not allowed to leave the dinner table until the three have given their permission — but McTominay’s signing was seen as a genuine coup. —Rory Smith, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025

Alt-comedy triumvirate John Early, Kate Berlant and Patti Harrison round out the cast, alongside Nik Dodani, Ayden Mayeri and Greta Titelman. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 31 Mar. 2025

The ex-House member is by no means the only one with confirmation troubles potentially coming their way; Senate GOP sources view her as being part of a triumvirate of nominees who will have issues in the coming months. —Al Weaver, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024

But the triumvirate of blockbuster hopefuls is changing the dynamic, and should result in a holiday week box office haul of over $315 million, setting a new milestone. —Brent Lang, Variety, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

triumvirate

noun

tri·​um·​vi·​rate trī-ˈəm-və-rət 

1

: government by three persons who share authority and responsibility

2

: the office or term of office of a triumvir

3

: a group of three persons or things having something in common