ternary

ternary
    adj 1: 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" [syn: {ternary},
           {treble}, {triple}, {triplex}]
    n 1: the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
         [syn: {three}, {3}, {III}, {trio}, {threesome}, {tierce},
         {leash}, {troika}, {triad}, {trine}, {trinity}, {ternary},
         {ternion}, {triplet}, {tercet}, {terzetto}, {trey}, {deuce-
         ace}]
    

Ternary \Ter"na*ry\, n.; pl. {Ternaries}.
   A ternion; the number three; three things taken together; a
   triad.
   [1913 Webster]

         Some in ternaries, some in pairs, and some single.
                                                  --Holder.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Ternary \Ter"na*ry\, a. [L. ternarius, fr. terni. See {Tern},
   a.]
   1. Proceeding by threes; consisting of three; as, the ternary
      number was anciently esteemed a symbol of perfection, and
      held in great veneration.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Chem.) Containing, or consisting of, three different
      parts, as elements, atoms, groups, or radicals, which are
      regarded as having different functions or relations in the
      molecule; thus, sodic hydroxide, {NaOH}, is a ternary
      compound.
      [1913 Webster]
    

ternary

   <programming> A description of an {operator} taking three
   arguments.  The only common example is {C}'s ?: operator which
   is used in the form "CONDITION ? EXP1 : EXP2" and returns EXP1
   if CONDITION is true else EXP2.  {Haskell} has a similar "if
   CONDITION then EXP1 else EXP2" operator.

   See also {unary}, {binary}.

   (1998-07-29)
    

52 Moby Thesaurus words for "ternary":
      clover, deuce-ace, leash, set of three, shamrock, tercet, tern,
      ternal, ternate, ternion, terzetto, three, three-ply, threefold,
      threesome, tierce, treble, trefoil, trey, triad, trialogue,
      triangle, tricorn, trident, triennium, trihedron, trilogic,
      trilogy, trimester, trinal, trine, trinity, trinomial, trio,
      triphthong, triple, triple crown, triple threat, triplet, triplex,
      triplicate, triplopy, tripod, triptych, trireme, triseme,
      triskelion, trisul, triumvirate, triunity, trivet, troika