English
ternary
Ternary comes from Late Latin ternārius ‘consisting of three things’, and goes back to ternī.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEternī‘three each’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEternārius‘consisting of three things’
- Englishearliest quotation 1570ternary
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEternī‘three each’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEternārius‘consisting of three things’
- Englishearliest quotation 1570ternary
Earliest quotation: 1570, John Dee, Elements of Geometry: “And albeit these thynges be waighty and truthes of…”
Every English word from Late Latin ternī
Today it means
adj Made up of three things.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin ternī / ternary