I. ˈthrē adjective
Etymology: Middle English three, thre, from Old English thrīe (masculine), thrēo (feminine & neuter); akin to Old High German drī (masculine) three, drīo (feminine), driu (neuter), Old Norse thrīr (masculine), thrjār (feminine) thrjū (neuter), Gothic thrija (neuter), Latin tres (masculine & feminine), tria (neuter), Greek treis (masculine & feminine), tria (neuter), Sanskrit tri
: being one more than two in number
three years
— see number table
II. pronoun, plural in construction
Etymology: Middle English three, thre, from three, thre, adjective
: three countable persons or things not specified but under consideration and being enumerated
three are here
three were found
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English three, thre, from three, thre, adjective
1. : one more than two
2.
a. : three units or objects
a total of three
b. : a group or set of three
arranged by threes
3.
a. : the numerable quantity symbolized by the arabic numeral 3
b. : the figure 3
4. : three o'clock — compare bell table, time illustration
5. : the third in a set or series: as
a. : a playing card marked to show that it is third in a suit
b. : a domino with three spots on one of its halves
c. : a die with three spots on the side uppermost
d. : an article of clothing of the third size