adjective / noun / adverb
third
THURD/θˈɝd/
At position three in an ordered series.
The bronze medal rests on the podium's third-place block.
Etymology
Old English þridda already expressed the ordinal corresponding to three. The modern word preserves that distinction: it identifies position in a sequence rather than the number of objects.
In context
where the order of the elements matters like there's a first element second element third element
More examples
- Maya finishes third in the race.
- He shifts from second into third as the car accelerates.
- The melody rises by a third, from C to E.
Forms
third · thirds
thirdly adverb — In the third place when listing points.
Similar words
- tertiary
- Usually marks a third level, stage, or priority.