Third1, a.
(18), a. [O. Eng. thridde, A-S. thridda, for thridia, Goth. thridja, Icel. thridie, Sw. & Dan. tredie, O. H. Ger. dritte, M. H. Ger. dritte, dirde, N. H. Ger. dritte, L. Ger. derde, darde, drudde, D. darde, derde, Gr. τρίτος, Lat. tertius, W. trydy, Gael. treas. See THREE.]
Sense 1. The next after the second; coming after two of the same class;—the ordinal of three; as, the third hour in the day.
Sense 2. Constituting or being one of three equal parts into which any thing is divided.
Third estate. (a.) In England, the commons, or the commonalty, who are represented in Parliament by the Commons. (b.) In France, the body of the people, exclusive of the nobility and the titled classes; the commons;—so called previously to the Revolution of 1789.—Third order (Rom. Cath. Church), a sort of religious order attached to the Franciscans, Carmelites, &c., composed of associates not bound by vows, but conforming, to a certain extent, to the general designs of the order.—Third person (Gram.), the person spoken of. See PERSON, n., 6.—Third point, or tierce point (Arch.), the point of section in the vertex of an equilateral triangle. Guilt.—Third rate (Naut.), a ship of war, carrying from 70 to 80 guns. See RATE. Simmonds.—Third sound. (Mus.) See THIRD, n.