Trichotomy
/traɪˈkɒt.ə.mi/noun
A division or classification into three parts.
Did you know?Trichotomy comes from Greek philosophy and theology, where dividing the world into three parts was often used to explain the structure of reality, the soul, or the divine.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
trikhotomía
“a cutting into three parts”
Late Latin
Latin
trichotomia
“division into three parts”
Middle French
French
trichotomie
“division into three parts”
16th Century
English
trichotomie
“division into three parts”
Modern English
English
trichotomy
“division into three parts”