trias

Forms

trias f (genitive triadis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τριάς (triás, “the number three, triad”).^[2][3][4] The Greek word is formed on τρεῖς (treîs, “three”), from Proto-Indo-European *trei- (“three”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Marius Victorinus (first half of the 4th century AD),^[4] who uses the genitive triados.^[5] He also applies it to the Trinity.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant the number three or a group of three,^[2][3] and Martianus Capella uses it in his treatment of arithmetic.^[3][5] The OLD also records the form tria.^[2] Its declension keeps Greek forms beside Latin ones: accusative triada as well as triadem.^[5][6]

In Christian Latin it named the Trinity, as in Marius Victorinus and Venantius Fortunatus,^[6] and a medieval British poem uses it so.^[7] Ecclesiastical Latin uses it for any group of three.^[8] English triad comes from it (1540s).^[9]

Timeline

• first half of 4th century AD – Marius Victorinus uses it, also of the Trinity.^[6][5][4]
• 5th century AD – Martianus Capella uses it of the number three.^[3][5][4]
• 1540s – English takes it as triad.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. The number three, a triad.^[2][3]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) The Trinity.^[6][7]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A group of three.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com