ternary

adjective

ter·​na·​ry ˈtər-nə-rē 

1

a

: of, relating to, or proceeding by threes

b

: having three elements, parts, or divisions

c

: arranged in threes

ternary petals

2

: using three as the base

a ternary logarithm

3

a

: being or consisting of an alloy of three elements

b

: of, relating to, or containing three different elements, atoms, radicals, or groups

sulfuric acid is a ternary acid

4

: third in order or rank

Examples of ternary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And in the fall of 1958, visitors to the Soviet Union reported that engineers there had been developing a ternary computer called Setun — the first modern computer based on ternary logic and hardware. —Quanta Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024

The three acts may have been squeezed into one, but the ternary trajectory of Nora’s character remains sharply defined in Chastain’s performance. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2023

There’s a choice of two different batteries: The 570 version gets a 78.2-kWh lithium-iron phosphate unit, while the 702 and 650 get a 98-kWh ternary-lithium pack. —Mark Andrews, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2023

Instead, each block of information on the tape is written in three-way, or ternary, code, taking the values -1, 0, or +1. —WIRED, 3 Nov. 2022

Astute readers will recognize that this is the base 3 (or ternary) number system. —Katie McCormick, Quanta Magazine, 1 Aug. 2022

This middle movement follows an A-B-A ternary structure where the opening material is a lyrical adagio and the contrasting middle section presents more rhythmic, scherzo-like music. —Jessica Rudman, courant.com, 7 Dec. 2019

Nevertheless, especially in gnaoua music, the repetitive rhythm structure based on binary or ternary patterns is quite hypnotic and leads to a transcendental state that can totally be linked to what's happening in an electronic music club. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin ternarius, from terni three each; akin to Latin tres three — more at three

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

ternary

adjective

ter·​na·​ry ˈtər-nə-rē 

1

: having three elements, parts, or divisions

2

a

: being or consisting of an alloy of three elements

b

: of, relating to, or containing three different elements, atoms, radicals, or groups

a ternary acid