triplet

[ trip-lit ]

noun

1. one of three children or offspring born at the same birth.
2. triplets, three offspring born at one birth.
3. any group or combination of three.
4. Prosody. three successive verses or lines, especially when rhyming and of the same length; a stanza of three lines.
5. Also called tercet. Music. a group of three notes to be performed in the time of two ordinary notes of the same kind.
6. an assembled imitation gem with three parts, the center one giving the color, the top and bottom, sometimes genuine, supplying the wearing qualities.
7. Genetics. a sequence of three nucleotides; a codon in messenger RNA and an anticodon in transfer RNA.
8. Optics. a compound lens in which three lenses are combined.
9. triplets, (in some card games) three cards of the same denomination.

triplet

/ ˈtrɪplɪt /

noun

1. a group or set of three similar things
2. one of three offspring born at one birth
3. music a group of three notes played in a time value of two, four, etc
4. chem a state of a molecule or free radical in which there are two unpaired electrons

Word History and Origins

Origin of triplet¹

First recorded in 1650–60; triple + -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of triplet¹

C17: from triple , on the model of doublet

Example Sentences

An excruciating pause followed, pregnant enough to suggest triplets.

From Los Angeles Times

The meeting took place after the death of a triplet known as Baby O, who Letby was later convicted of murdering, but before she killed the second triplet, known as Baby P.

From BBC

However, the inquiry heard that by the summer of 2016, the deaths of two triplets as well as a series of other inadequately explained collapses, hardened suspicions about Letby.

From BBC

Baby O was one of triplet brothers born in good condition in June 2016.

From BBC

Holly is one of triplets and one of her brothers discovered Metson had a conviction for sharing explicit photos of a previous partner.

From BBC

Related Words

• threesome
• trilogy
• triumvirate