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tri·lit·er·al

(trī-lĭtər-əl)

adj.

Consisting of three letters, especially of three consonants. Used chiefly of roots in Semitic languages.

1. A three-letter word or word element.

2. A triliteral root or word.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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