ternary

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈtɝnɛri/ UK /ˈtɜːnəri/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
composed of or based on three parts; using the number three

Computers usually use binary, but a few designs used ternary logic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · composed of or based on... threefold triple triadic tripartite

Opposites

binaryunary

Word family

Related forms ternion tern tertiary trinity

Etymology

From Latin ternarius ('consisting of three'), from terni ('three each'), from tres ('three').

ternarius Latin tres Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ternary

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɝnɛri/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtɜːnəri/

## Meanings
1. composed of or based on three parts; using the number three

## Examples
- Computers usually use binary, but a few designs used ternary logic.

## Synonyms
- threefold
- triple
- triadic
- tripartite

## Antonyms
- binary
- unary

## Related Forms
- ternion
- tern
- tertiary
- trinity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ternarius
- Root: tres

## Etymology
From Latin ternarius ('consisting of three'), from terni ('three each'), from tres ('three').

## AI Etymology
Ternary is from Latin ternarius ('consisting of three'), from terni ('three each'), from tres ('three'). Important recorded forms include ternarius (Latin) and tres (Latin). The modern sense continues the older lexical line without requiring a separate origin. In current use it covers composed of or based on three parts; using the number three. The wider family includes related words such as ternion, tern, tertiary, and trinity.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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