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Glite Dictionary
👨‍👩‍👦 A group of three 3️⃣ Using three parts 🔢 Three-argument function
trinary

trinary

9.6
An operation or relation that takes three inputs
  • noun
  • /ˈtraɪnəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : operador ternario
  • In some programming languages, a trinary operator can simplify conditional expressions.

Examples

  • The mathematician explained how a trinary relation differs from a binary one.

  • Advanced logic circuits sometimes use a trinary function to process three inputs simultaneously.

  • In some programming languages, a trinary operator can simplify conditional expressions.

  • A trinary operator is used in many programming languages.

  • The logic circuit uses a trinary function to process inputs.

  • The mathematician explained how a trinary relation differs from a binary one.

  • Advanced logic circuits sometimes use a trinary function to process three inputs simultaneously.

Surface Forms

trinary singular
trinaries plural

Morphology

trinary = three (transparent) = tri + ary

The technical sense ('involving three arguments') is a direct application of 'tri-' (three) plus the relational suffix '-ary', so the composition is transparent even in specialised domains.

Etymology

Trinary comes from the prefix tri- meaning 'three', and it is the three-way version of binary ('two'). So a trinary operator, relation, or function is one that takes exactly three inputs.