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tri·ad

(trīăd′, -əd)

1. A group of three.

2. Music A chord of three tones, especially one built on a given root tone plus a major or minor third and a perfect fifth.

3. A section of a Pindaric ode consisting of the strophe, antistrophe, and epode.

[Late Latin trias, triad-, from Greek, the number three; see trei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

tri·adic (trī-ădĭk) adj.

(click for a larger image)

triad

left to right: C major, E minor, and D diminished triads

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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