three-dimensional

adjective

three-di·​men·​sion·​al ˈthrē-də-ˈmen(t)-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce three-dimensional (audio)
 also  -dī-
1
: of, relating to, or having three dimensions
2
: giving the illusion of depth or varying distances
used especially of an image or a pictorial representation on a two-dimensional medium when this illusion is enhanced by stereoscopic means
3
: describing or being described in well-rounded completeness
a three-dimensional analysis of multiple historical processesL. L. Snyder
4
: true to life : lifelike
three-dimensionality noun

Examples of three-dimensional in a Sentence

an actress who has been acclaimed for her three-dimensional portrayal of the celebrated monarch
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My first movie, Smoke Signals, was one of the first three-dimensional looks at Native people just being people. Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2025 Then, wearing a VR headset, the participants used a joystick to navigate through a three-dimensional maze with landmark clues to find a treasure chest at the end. New Atlas, 27 Apr. 2025 AlphaFold and similar programs are trained not on internet text but on experimental data, such as the three-dimensional structure of proteins and gene expression. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025 In the new study, the researchers created a three-dimensional scan of the marks, allowing them to be compared with the bite marks known to be left by various animals. Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for three-dimensional

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of three-dimensional was in 1872

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Cite this Entry

“Three-dimensional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/three-dimensional. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

three-dimensional

adjective
1
: of, relating to, or having three dimensions (as length, width, and height)
2
: giving the appearance of depth or varying distances

More from Merriam-Webster on three-dimensional

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