a. and sb. rare. [ad. late L. trīnāri-us of three kinds (Isidore, Orig., III. vi.): cf. L. ternārius TERNARY.]

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  A.  adj. Consisting or composed of a set of three; threefold; triple; ternary.

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1474.  Caxton, Chesse, IV. ii. (1883), 166. For the trynary nombre conteyneth iii parties whiche make a perfect nombre.

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1882.  G. Allen, in Nature, 17 Aug., 374. The inner palea exhibits rudiments of two sepals,… making up, with the outer palea, a single trinary whorl.

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1884.  Mary Boole, in Athenæum, 23 Aug., 238/1. Ascribing to the Eternal a dividedness projected from the trinary nature of the human faculties.

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  † B.  sb. A set or group of three; a triad; a trio.

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1596.  Fitz-Geffrey, Sir F. Drake (1881), 22. The gracefull Graces faire triplicitie, Of moderne Poets rarest trinarie.

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1654.  Vilvain, Epit. Ess., IV. lxxx. 83. In England a Trinary of Peers Renound for riches was in divers yeers.

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