third
gb/θˈɚd/ us/θˈɚd/
A1
English
~ 900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Coming after second
In position number three in a list or order.
Usage pattern:
the third [person/thing]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'third' (ordinal) with 'three' (cardinal). 'Third' refers to order or position, not quantity.
Synonyms
tertiary (More formal or technical term, often used in academic or specialized contexts.)
Antonyms
second (The ordinal number immediately before third.)
|
fourth (The ordinal number immediately after third.)
Collocations
third place
|third time
|third round
|third floor
|third day
Themes
numbers
|time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She finished in third place in the race.
- This is the third time I've called you today.
- They live on the third floor of the building.
- The meeting will be held on the third of June.
- He was the third person to arrive.
Learner examples
- My house is the third on the street.
- I read the third book in the series.
- Today is the third day of the month.
- She is the third student in line.
- This is my third trip to London.
Noun
A2
quantity
2
One part of three equal parts
One part when something is divided into three equal parts.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'one over three' instead of 'one third' in everyday speech, which sounds mathematical rather than conversational.
Synonyms
one-third (Exact fractional form; interchangeable in most contexts.)
Antonyms
half (A larger fraction, representing one of two equal parts.)
Collocations
one third
|two thirds
|a third of
Themes
math
|fractions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|education
Examples
- A third of the cake was eaten.
- Only a third of the students passed the test.
- Two thirds of the land is forested.
- He spent a third of his salary on rent.
- The recipe calls for a third of a cup of sugar.
Learner examples
- I ate a third of the pizza.
- A third of my friends play football.
- She drinks a third of a liter of water.
- One third of the class is absent today.
- We cut the pie into thirds.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Musical interval of three degrees
In music, the distance between two notes that are three steps apart in a scale.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'third' as an interval with 'third' as an ordinal number if context is unclear.
Synonyms
mediant (Specific term for the third scale degree in music theory.)
Antonyms
fifth (A different musical interval, spanning five diatonic degrees.)
Collocations
major third
|minor third
Themes
music
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- The melody rises by a major third.
- He played a minor third on the piano.
- Singing in thirds creates harmony.
- The chord contains a root, a third, and a fifth.
Learner examples
- I learned to play a major third on guitar.
- A minor third sounds sad to me.
- We sang in thirds for harmony.
Grammar
Dictionary form
third
IPA
GB/θˈɚd/
US/θˈɚd/
Syllables & stress
third (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (third)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: third
- Comparative: thirder
- Superlative: thirdest
Noun
- Base: third
- Plural: thirds
Word family
Expressions
third degree
1/θˈɚd dɪɡɹˈi/
fixed phrase
Harsh questioning or interrogation
Very strong or forceful questioning by someone, usually to get information.
Examples
- The police gave him the third degree about his whereabouts.
- I got the third degree from my parents when I came home late.
third wheel
1/θˈɚd wˈil/
idiom
informal
Unwanted extra person socially
A person who feels out of place because they are with two people who are in a romantic relationship or close friendship.
Examples
- I felt like a third wheel when they started holding hands.
- She didn't want to be a third wheel on their date.
third time's a charm
1/θˈɚd tˈaɪmz ə t͡ʃˈɑɹm/
idiom
informal
Success likely on third try
People say this when they believe they will succeed on their third try at something after failing twice before.
Examples
- I failed my driving test twice, but the third time's a charm!
- I failed the test twice, but third time's a charm.
- Don't give up—third time's a charm.
- We didn't win the last two games, but third time's a charm, right?
- He asked her out twice with no luck, but he said, "Third time's a charm."