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trip·tych

(trĭptĭk)

a. A work, such as an altarpiece, consisting of three painted or carved panels that are hinged together.

b. A set of three related works, as in photography, painting, or literature: "a triptych of stories told from alternating viewpoints" (Diane Scharper).

2. A hinged writing tablet consisting of three leaves, used in ancient Rome.

[From Greek triptukhos, threefold : tri-, tri- + ptux, ptukh-, fold.]

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triptych

c. 1336 painting, Madonna and Child with Saints Peter, Paul, Augustine, and Anthony, attributed to Taddeo Gaddi (1300?-1366)

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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