tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd How to pronounce tripod (audio)
1
: a three-legged stand (as for a camera)
2
: a stool, table, or altar with three legs
3
: a vessel (such as a cauldron) resting on three legs
tripod adjective
or tripodal
ˈtri-pə-dᵊl How to pronounce tripod (audio)
ˈtrī-ˌpä-

Examples of tripod in a Sentence

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.
How to get them in AZ For phone photography, NASA recommends using a tripod to keep your camera steady. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 12 Nov. 2024 Use a tripod and a manual app to control the ISO and the shutter speed and take exposures of between 20 and 30 seconds. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024 Experts also suggest using a tripod because cameras need to be well stabilized to take a picture with long exposure. —Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 11 Oct. 2024 At the end point music blasted and cameras with telephoto lenses on tripods aimed down the finish line below porches with colorful flower boxes. —Tom Mullen, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tripod 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tripod-, tripus, from Greek tripod-, tripous, from tripod-, tripous, adjective, three-footed, from tri- + pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of tripod was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tripod

triply

tripod

tripodic walk

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Tripod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tripod. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

tripod

noun
tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd How to pronounce tripod (audio)
1
: something (as a container or stool) resting on three legs
2
: a three-legged stand (as for a camera)

Medical Definition

tripod

noun
tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd How to pronounce tripod (audio)
: a bone having three processes

More from Merriam-Webster on tripod

Nglish: Translation of tripod for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tripod

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