Gram. [f. L. tri-, stem of trēs, tria three + -AL, after dual.] Applied to a ‘number’ or inflected form denoting three, in some languages of New Guinea and Polynesia; = TRINAL a. 3.
1886. J. Inglis, In New Hebrides, ix. 99. There are four numbers in the personal pronouns [used by the Aneityumese], the singular, the dual, the trial, and the plural; as I, we two, we three, and we all.
1911. Bible in World, July, 206/2. The Kiwai language is one of the most difficult in New Guinea…. The verb … distinguishes singular, dual, trial (3) and plural number both in the subject and object.
