a. and sb. [ad. late L. ternārius consisting of three, f. tern-ī: see TERNAL and -ARY1. Cf. F. ternaire (15th c.).]
A. adj. 1. Pertaining to, consisting of, compounded of, or characterized by a set (or sets) of three; threefold, triple. Ternary system (of classification), one in which each division is into three parts.
c. 1430. Art Nombryng, 19. Some vsen forto distingue the nombre by threes, and ay begynne forto wirche vndre the first of the last ternary other uncomplete nombre.
1596. Bell, Surv. Popery, II. II. vi. 169. The ternarie number doth not determine the apparitions in themselues.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1302. This ternary or threefold number.
1659. Owen, Div. Orig. Script., Wks. 1853, XVI. 340. The Trinity … is a trinity in unity, or the ternary number of persons in the same essence.
1715. Cheyne, Philos. Princ. Relig., II. 129. The Profane and Ignorant may make a Jest of this Ternary Chain.
1724. Waterland, Further Vind. Christ’s Div., iv. § 10. The equality is mentioned as belonging to the ternary number, here considered as a figure of the Trinity.
1881. Westcott & Hort, Grk. N. T., Introd. § 152. Ternary variations in which each of the three groups approximately attests a different variant.
1909. Cent. Dict., Suppl. s.v. Symmetry, If [the angle is] 120°, or the crystal repeats itself three times, the symmetry is threefold or ternary and the axis is a triad axis.
b. Mus. Ternary measure or time: triple time (? obs.). Ternary form: the form of a movement which is founded on three principal subjects (cf. binary form), or in which the principal subject recurs three times (= rondo form).
[1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., Annot. The last of the two minimes is marked with a pricke … for perfections sake, that the ternary number may be obserued.]
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Measure, Ternary, or triple measure, is … where two minims are played during a fall, and but one in a rise.
1898. Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, Ternary form, rondo form. Ternary measure, triple time.
1908. Athenæum, 18 July, 78/1. Another interesting instance of modification is that of binary form, which by expansion became ternary.
c. Chem. and Min. Compounded or consisting of three elements or constituents.
† By Dalton used in the sense ‘Consisting of three atoms.’
1808. Henry, in Phil. Trans., XCVIII. 283. Oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon, united in the form of a ternary compound.
1808. Dalton, Chem. Philos., I. 213. If there are two bodies, A and B,… 1 atom of A + 2 atoms of B = 1 atom of D, ternary.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), I. 22. These ternary compounds, such as starch, gum, sugar,… are non-nitrogenized.
1851. Richardson, Geol., 464. Perfect granite is a ternary compound of quartz, felspar, and di-axial mica, universally diffused.
1864. H. Spencer, Biol., I. 11. In chemical stability these ternary compounds … are in a marked degree below the binary ones.
d. Bot. Arranged in threes around a common axis: usually in reference to the parts of a flower.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 251. The ternary division of the tower of Monocotyledons is often departed from…; many Dicotyledons have also ternary floral envelopes.
1866. Treas. Bot., Ternary, ternate, when three things are in opposition round a common axis.
1870. Hooker, Stud. Flora, 12. Berberideæ … analogy … in the 3-nary floral whorls with Monocotyledons.
e. Math. Constructed on the number three as a base, as ternary logarithm, ternary scale (of notation); involving three variables, as ternary quantic.
1860. Cayley, Math. Papers, IV. 604. The number of variables (the function being homogeneous) is denoted by the words binary, ternary, &c. Ibid. (1898), XIV. Index. Ternary Quadratics…. Ternary Quadrics…. Ternary Quantics.
f. Astron. Ternary system, a system of three stars which revolve under mutual attraction, or round a common center.
† 2. Ternary part, one of three equal parts; a third part. Obs. rare–1.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 108/2. Which poulder we must diuide into 3 æquall portions, then take therof a ternary parte.
3. Last of each successive group of three; third.
1690. Leybourn, Curs. Math., 339. [In extracting roots] Squares … are to be marked with Points … over every Binary or second Figure. Cubes over every Ternary Figure.
4. Third in subordination, rank, or order.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., xlviii. IV. 443. This system … in its ternary groups, equivalent to the Orders of Linné [etc.].
1829. Gen. P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 135. The only wonder is, that when they went to the secondary sense, they did not go to the ternary.
1831. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), II. 263. In a secondary and even a ternary reflex.
B. sb. † 1. A set or group of three; a ternion, a trio. Obs.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., Ded. (Rolls), 3. Make in ȝoure soule to [= two] ternaries, on [= one] in feith anothir in love: beleve in God—Fadir, and Son, and Holy Gost: love God in al ȝoure hert, al ȝoure soule, and al ȝoure mynde.
1542. Recorde, Gr. Artes (1575), 48. Put a pricke ouer the fourthe Figure,… ouer the vij. … and so forthe, still leauing two figures betweene eche two pricks. And those two roomes betweene the prickes, are called Ternaries.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 377. I conclude this Ternary of Worthies with Cato.
1686. trans. Livy, I. I. xxiv. 15. There happened to be … three Brothers in each Army…. The two Kings treated with these two ternaries of Brethren.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Gray, ¶ 28. The second ternary of stanzas [in The Progress of Poetry].
† b. The Holy Trinity. [So OF. ternaire.] Obs.
1570. Dee, Math. Pref., *j b. By the infinite goodnes of the Almighty Ternarie.
1662. Sparrow, trans. Behme’s Rem. Wks., 1st Apol. to B. Tylcken, 79. There was Joy in Heaven in Ternario Sancto, in the Holy Ternary.
† 2. A number which is a multiple of three. rare–1.
1557. Recorde, Whetst. (1558), O iv b. Thei muste all waies bee ternaries, as 3. 6. 9. or 12. &c.
Hence † Ternariness Obs. rare, ternary condition. So † Ternarian, † Ternarious adjs., TERNARY a.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Ternary, Ternarious, of or belonging to three.
1662. J. Chandler, Van Helmont’s Oriat., 266. So the likeness of ternariness shall cease, & such an image shall badly square with the Type, whose image it is believed to be.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, III. 214. The ternarian number.
