ternary

ter·na·ry  (tûrn-r)

adj.

1. Composed of three or arranged in threes.

2. Mathematics

a. Having the base three.

b. Involving three variables.

n. pl. ter·na·ries

A group of three.

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[Middle English, from Latin ternrius, from tern, three each; see tern².]

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ternary

Adjective

1. consisting of three items or groups of three items

2. Maths (of a number system) to the base three [Latin ternarius]

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Ternary set or group of three, especially the Holy Trinity.

Examples: ternary of stanzas, 1779; ternary of worthies, 1654; the Holy Ternary, 1662; the Almighty Ternarie, 1570.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	ternary - the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one 3, deuce-ace, III, tercet, ternion, terzetto, three, threesome, trey, triad, trine, trinity, trio, triplet, troika, tierce, leash digit, figure - one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration; "0 and 1 are digits"
Adj.	1.	ternary - having three units or components or elements; "a ternary operation"; "a treble row of red beads"; "overcrowding made triple sessions necessary"; "triple time has three beats per measure"; "triplex windows" triple, triplex, treble multiple - having or involving or consisting of more than one part or entity or individual; "multiple birth"; "multiple ownership"; "made multiple copies of the speech"; "his multiple achievements in public life"; "her multiple personalities"; "a pineapple is a multiple fruit"