trinary

American  

[trahy-nuh-ree] / ˈtraɪ nə ri /

adjective

1. consisting of three parts, or proceeding by three; ternary.

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trinary British  

/ ˈtraɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. made up of three parts; ternary

2. going in threes

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Etymology

Origin of trinary

1425–75; late Middle English trynary < Late Latin trīnārius of three kinds, equivalent to Latin trīn ( ī ) by threes (alteration of ternī (derivative of ter thrice; ter- ) on the model of bīnī by twos; binary ) + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

Instead, evidence suggests that turbulence clumps particles together in a cloud, which then gravitationally collapses into a binary or trinary mass.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 27, 2018

While the stars in general appear to travel independently of one another, except when they are combined in binary or trinary systems, there are notable exceptions to this rule.

From Curiosities of the Sky by Serviss, Garrett Putman