1. Coming next after the second and just before the fourth in position
   - 3rd, tertiary

1. One of three equal parts of a divisible whole
   "it contains approximately a third of the minimum daily requirement"; "She completed one-third of the marathon";
   - one-third, tierce
    
2. The fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed near the third of the bases in the infield (counting counterclockwise from home plate)
   "he is playing third";
   - third base
    
3. Following the second position in an ordering or series
   "a distant third"; "he answered the first question willingly, the second reluctantly, and the third with resentment"
    
4. The musical interval between one note and another three notes away from it
   "a simple harmony written in major thirds"
    
5. The third from the lowest forward ratio gear in the gear box of a motor vehicle
   "you shouldn't try to start in third gear";
   - third gear
    
6. The base that must be touched third by a base runner in baseball
   "he was cut down on a close play at third";
   - third base

1. In the third place
   "third we must consider unemployment";
   - thirdly

Derived forms: thirds

See also: ordinal

Type of: bag, base, common fraction, gear, gear mechanism, interval, musical interval, position, rank, simple fraction, vulgar fraction [Brit]

Part of: auto [informal], autocar [archaic], automobile [N. Amer], baseball team, car, motor [Brit, informal], motorcar, wheel [informal], whip [US, informal]

Encyclopedia: Third, Richard