triple

1 of 3

verb

tri·​ple ˈtri-pəl How to pronounce triple (audio)
tripled; tripling ˈtri-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce triple (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to make three times as great or as many
2
a
: to score (a base runner) by a triple
b
: to bring about the scoring of (a run) by a triple

intransitive verb

1
: to become three times as great or as numerous
their profits tripled last year
2
: to make a triple in baseball

triple

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: a triple sum, quantity, or number
b
: a combination, group, or series of three
2
: a base hit that allows the batter to reach third base safely
3

triple

3 of 3

adjective

1
: being three times as great or as many
2
: having or involving three units or members
triple bypass heart surgery
3
: having a threefold relation or character
worked as a double or even triple agentTime
4
a
: three times repeated : treble
b
: having three full revolutions
a triple somersault
a triple lutz
5
: marked by three beats per musical measure
triple meter
6
a
: having units of three components
triple feet
b
of rhyme : involving correspondence of three syllables (as in unfortunate-importunate)

Examples of triple in a Sentence

Verb He tripled his winnings at the track. The town's population has tripled in size. He tripled to right field. Noun that triple of terrors for the wintertime driver: snow, ice, and sleet Adjective She got a new job with triple the salary of her old one. He ordered a triple espresso.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
As Barrymore — whose tragic character could have benefited from the invention — noted as part of CBS Movie Night, Caller ID use tripled after film’s premiere in December 1996. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 In Nobles County, of which Worthington is the seat, Latinos nearly tripled from 2000 to 2020, to more than 7,200 of 22,300 residents. Giovanna Dell'orto, Twin Cities, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
Dodgers ace Carl Erskine lasted only one inning of the opener, giving up three walks and two triples for four Yankee runs. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024 Then Ionescu hit a big triple to extend New York’s advantage to four points in the closing minutes. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Key Background Nvidia stock’s downward swing followed what’s known as a triple earnings beat, in which the company easily exceeded consensus analyst forecasts for its third-quarter profit and revenue and raised its guidance for the fourth quarter. Derek Saul, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as the legendary musician, landed five nods, followed by four-time nominees Gladiator II and September 5 and triple nominees Sing Sing, Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for triple 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English (Scots), from Late Latin triplare, from Latin triplus, adjective

Noun

Middle English, from Latin triplus, adjective

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin triplus, from tri- + -plus multiplied by — more at -fold

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

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

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of triple was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near triple

Cite this Entry

“Triple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triple. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

triple

1 of 3 verb
tri·​ple ˈtrip-əl How to pronounce triple (audio)
tripled; tripling ˈtrip-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce triple (audio)
1
: to make or become three times as great or as many : multiply by three
their profits tripled last year
2
: to make a triple in baseball

triple

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: a triple sum, quantity, or number
b
: a combination, group, or series of three
2
: a hit in baseball that permits a batter to reach third base safely

triple

3 of 3 adjective
1
: being three times as great or as many
2
: having three units or parts
3
a
: three times repeated
b
: having three full revolutions
a triple somersault

More from Merriam-Webster on triple

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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