three
The number 3; one more than two.
Etymology
From Old English þrēo, from Proto-Germanic *þrīz, from PIE *tréyes "three." The PIE numerals are among the most securely reconstructed vocabulary. The initial PIE *t- became þ (th) in Germanic through Grimm's Law, the same sound shift that changed Latin trēs into English "three."
The Journey: *tréyes → three
*tréyes
*þrīz
þrēo
three
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *tréyes. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | treîs |
| Latin | trēs |
| Welsh | tri |
| Russian | tri |
| Armenian | erekʿ |
| Sanskrit | tráyaḥ |
| Old Irish | trí |
| Lithuanian | trỹs |
Did You Know?
English "three" and Latin "trēs" differ only by Grimm's Law: PIE *t → Germanic þ (th). Latin gave us "triple," "trio," and "triangle" — all from the same root.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *tréyes. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.