n.1 a three-legged stand for supporting a camera etc.
2 a stool, table, or utensil resting on three feet or legs.
3 Gk Antiq. a bronze altar at Delphi on which a priestess sat to utter oracles.
Derivatives:
tripodal adj.
Etymology: L tripus tripodis f. Gk tripous (as TRI-, pous podos foot)