What does "three" mean?
The digit/figure 3.
Three
/θɹiː/ noun, num
noun, num ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The digit/figure 3.
- Grammar: three is listed as noun, num.
- Nearest alternatives: 3, 3, cardinal number, cardinal numeral.
- Useful contrasts: none, onefold, singlefold.
- Usage evidence: Excuse me; allow me to point out three errors in the above article.
How to use "three"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "three" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "three" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "three" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "three" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "three" is acting as noun, num in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "3" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "three", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The digit/figure 3.
"In our example, 1210 has 1 zero, 2 ones, 1 two and 0 threes."
- 2 one of four playing cards in a deck having three pips wordnet
- 3 Anything measuring three units, as length.
"Put all the threes in a separate container."
- 4 the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one wordnet
- 5 A person who is three years old.
"All the threes will go in Mrs. Smith's class, while I'll take the fours and fives."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 The playing card featuring three pips.
- 7 Three o'clock, either a.m. or p.m.
"It was a weary time. A carriage clock had been placed on the discoloured wooden mantelpiece, and slowly its hands crept on from one to two and from two to three."
- 8 Abbreviation of three-pointer. abbreviation, alt-of
Adjective
- 1 being one more than two wordnet
Numeral
- 1 A numerical value after two and before four. Represented in Arabic digits as 3; this many dots (•••).
"Venters began to count them—one—two—three—four—on up to sixteen."
- 2 Describing a set or group with three elements.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Excuse me; allow me to point out three errors in the above article."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "three"?
Common synonyms include: 3, 3, cardinal number, cardinal numeral, clover, count of three.
How do you use "three" in a sentence?
Excuse me; allow me to point out three errors in the above article.
How do you pronounce "three"?
Pronounced /θɹiː/.
Etymology
From Middle English thre, threo, thrie, thri, from Old English þrī, from Proto-West Germanic *þrīʀ, from Proto-Germanic *þrīz, from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes. Doublet of tres and trey. Cognate with German drei, Albanian tre, Armenian երեք (erekʻ), Latin trēs, Latvian trīs, Lithuanian trỹs, Greek τρεῖς (treís), Old Church Slavonic трьѥ (trĭje), and others.