Tri- - Definition and Overview

Tri- or tria- is a numerial prefix meaning 3 that can be either Greek or Latin; though occasionally tre- and ter- also exist for Latin. Examples are:

• A trioxide has 3 oxygen atoms
• A tricycle is a children's vehicle with 3 wheels
• A trilogy is a series of 3 plays or books
• The Triassic Period had 3 layers of rock.
• A triad has 3 musical notes.

"Tri-" is now a productive prefix in English, even for words that are not of immediate Latin or Greek origin:

• A trimonthly event occurs every three months.
• A tri-captain (U.S. only?) is one of three equal captains of a sports team.

Examples of the rare English "ter-" are "ternary", the analogue of "binary, and "tercentenary", a 300th anniversary.