a. [f. TRI- + L. nōd-us knot, NODE + -AL; cf. L. trinōdis.] a. Having three knots. rare–1. b. Bot. Having three nodes (NODE sb. 2 b), as a stem. c. Geom. Having three nodes (NODE sb. 7), as a curve.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Trinodal..., that hath three knots, three-knotted.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1172. Trinodal, having three nodes only.
1873. Salmon, Higher Plane Curves, vi. (1879), 255. The other will be a trinodal quartic.
So Trinode, Geom. a combination of three nodes at one point of a curve; Trinodine a. = trinodal a.
1866. J. B. Rose, trans. Ovid’s Fasti, I. 612. Alcides grappled him; and broke With club trinodine,… The caitiff’s head.
1891. Cent. Dict., Trinode.
