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Glite Dictionary
📢 Not direct source 🚬 Leftover smoke
thirdhand

thirdhand

8.0
Leftover tobacco smoke on surfaces that can harm people after smoking
  • adjective
  • /ˈθɜrdˌhænd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : residuos de humo de tabaco
  • The thirdhand smoke in the room was noticeable.

Examples

  • She asked the landlord to deep-clean the apartment because of lingering thirdhand odors from previous tenants.

  • Don't ignore the risks of thirdhand smoke!

  • Public health campaigns warn about thirdhand smoke exposure in homes and cars where smokers once lived.

  • Researchers are studying how thirdhand particles cling to children's toys and clothing after indoor smoking.

  • Thirdhand smoke can linger on furniture and clothing, posing a risk even after a person has finished smoking.

  • Children can be harmed by thirdhand smoke that remains on their parents' clothes after they have smoked outside.

  • To reduce health risks, it is important to clean surfaces that may be contaminated by thirdhand smoke.

How Direct

firsthand
167 3.5
secondhand
16 4.0
thirdhand
  • Specialized
8.0

Surface Forms

thirdhand positive

Morphology

thirdhand = third + hand (semi-transparent) = third + hand

Built from the same compound 'third' + 'hand' but the specific technical meaning referring to persistent tobacco residues is an extension from the medical term 'thirdhand smoke' and not directly inferable from the components alone.

Etymology

Thirdhand in thirdhand smoke builds on secondhand smoke; third suggests a further step and it describes tiny smoke particles that 'stick' to clothes, walls, and dust after the smoking has stopped, so thirdhand smoke is the leftover that can still harm people later.