English Explanatory Dictionary

ternary

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj

Made up of three things.
Arranged in groups of three.
To the base three.
Having three variables.
Containing, or consisting of, three different parts, as elements, atoms, groups, or radicals, which are regarded as having different functions or relations in the molecule.
Of an operator taking three operands.

noun

A group of three things; a trio, threesome or tierce.
The Holy Trinity.

Pronunciation

/ˈtɜː.nə.ɹi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-ternary.wav /ˈtɝ.nə.ɹi/

Word forms

ternary ternaries

Etymology

From Late Latin ternārius (“consisting of three things”), from ternī (“three each”).

Synonyms

treble triadic triple triplex tern trinary trine ternary threefold ternion threeness threesome triad trinity trio triplet troika

Related words

singular primary (1st) secondary (2nd) tertiary (3rd) quartary (4th) septenary octonary novenary nonary (9th) denary duodenary vigenary centenary (100) unary binary trinary quaternary tetranary quinary quintary senary

Derived words

biternary ternary alloy ternary code ternary complex ternary compound ternary computer ternary diagram ternary expansion ternary form ternary Golay code ternary Golay conjecture ternary incremental representation ternary logarithm ternary logic ternary name ternary notation ternary numeral system ternary operation ternary operator ternary plot ternary pulse code modulation ternary quantic ternary search ternary search tree ternary signal ternary system ternary tree

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