Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Occurring every third year.
  • adjective Lasting three years.
  • noun A third anniversary.
  • noun A ceremony or celebration occurring every three years.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Continuing three years: as, triennial parliaments; specifically, of plants, lasting or enduring for three years.
  • Happening every three years.
  • noun A mass performed daily for three years for the soul of a dead person.
  • noun A plant which continues to live for three years.
  • noun Any event, service, ceremony, etc., occurring once in three years; specifically, the third anniversary of an event.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Continuing three years.
  • adjective Happening, coming about, or appearing once in every three years
  • noun Something which takes place or appears once in three years.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Happening every three years.
  • adjective Lasting for three years.
  • noun A third anniversary.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective occurring every third year or lasting 3 years
  • noun the 300th anniversary (or the celebration of it)

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin triennis, from triennium, triennium; see triennium.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin triennium ("three-year period"), from tres ("three") + annus ("year").

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Examples

  • The Finns won attention with their performances in triennial tests sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group funded by 30 countries that monitors social and economic trends.

    What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart? « Isegoria 2008

  • However, important factors such as triennial property assessments and the homestead property tax cap, which limits taxable AV growth to

    unknown title 2009

  • A central issue at the triennial general assembly of the U. N.'s International Civil Aviation Organization is European Union efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions from airplanes by including them in its cap-and-trade system.

    EU Transport Official Urges Looser Airline Rules Daniel Michaels 2010

  • The triennial Shoebox event marks its 10th exhibition March 1 through April 9 at the University of Hawaiʻi Art Gallery before going on the road.

    Vitro Nasu » 2009 » March 2009

  • Gammill, we should note, hosted Groening's highly attended talk last weekend as part of Ohio State University's triennial Festival of Cartoon Art. "After our talk on Saturday night, we were rushed out of the auditorium and into a car that zoomed away," Gammill tells us.

    VIDEO OF THE DAY: Matt Groening allows Tom Gammill into his creative lair Michael Cavna 2010

  • Not surprisingly, leading companies like Microsoft support a triennial "say on pay" vote, as the law allows.

    'Say on Pay'? Sure, But How Often? 2011

  • The triennial Shoebox event marks its 10th exhibition March 1 through April 9 at the University of Hawaiʻi Art Gallery before going on the road.

    Hawaii Capsule – Hal Lum & Shoebox Sculpture 2009

  • Spot foreign-exchange volume world-wide totals about $1.49 trillion a day, according to the Bank for International Settlements latest triennial survey.

    Quieter Trading Tilts Broker Ranks Stephen L. Bernard 2012

  • The Anglican Church of Canada is pleased to announce that for the first time in its 117 year history, General Synod is offering religious based organizations and affiliates the opportunity to support its triennial national convention through a variety of unique sponsorship initiatives.

    The Anglican Church of Canada: filthy capitalist « Anglican Samizdat 2010

  • In return, as the licence holder of the Virgin brand, he receives annual or triennial fees that can amount to hundreds of millions over time.

    Virgin brands: What does Richard Branson really own? 2012

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