a. (adv.) Containing, consisting of, having, or involving three parts.
1854. Cherubini’s Counterpoint, 20. it is prohibited in three-part-counterpoint, as in two-part-counterpoint, to make concealed fifths.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 255. [A] Three Part Clock [or] Three Train Clock … [is] a clock with three trains: the going train, the striking train, and the quarter or chiming train.
1910. Tovey, in Encycl. Brit., III. 129/2. 15 three-part symphonies.
b. adv. (in comb.) = THREE-PARTS.
1840. Blaine, Encycl. Rur. Sports, § 1282. A three-part-bred mare.
So Three-parted a., divided into or having three parts, tripartite.
1553. Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, III. (1558), 117. A threeparted deuision.
1793. Martyn, Lang. Bot., Three-parted leaf,… divided into three parts down to the base, but not entirely separate.
1900. Jackson, Gloss. Bot. Terms, 270/2.
