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| ter·ti·ar·y [ túrshee èrree, túrshəree ] |
adjective |
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| Definition: |
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1. third: third in degree, order, place, or importance
(
formal
)
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2. birds describes bird's innermost flight feathers: describes the few flight feathers nearest a bird's body on the rear edge of a wing, making up the third row of feathers
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3. chemistry formed by replacement of atoms: relating to or derived by the replacement of three atoms or groups, especially the replacement of the three hydrogen atoms in ammonia with alkyl groups to form amines
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4. chemistry of three bonded carbons: relating to or containing a carbon atom that has direct bonds to three other carbon atoms
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noun (plural ter·ti·ar·ies) |
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| Definition: |
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1. birds bird's innermost flight feather: a feather on the innermost rear edge of a bird's wing
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2. christianity member of lay group: in the Roman Catholic Church, a member of a group of the laity associated with a religious order
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| [Mid-16th century. < Latin tertiarius "of the third part or rank" < tertius "third"] |
