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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
tertiary adj 1 third in order, degree, importance, etc. 2 said of education: coming after secondary, eg university or college. Compare primary, secondary. 3 chem (abbreviation tert.) denoting complete replacement of hydrogen atoms in an organic molecule by other chemical groups. Compare primary, secondary. 4 chem, denoting extraction of petroleum by high-pressure pumping into rock structures. 5 (Tertiary) geol relating to the first period of the Cenozoic era. 6 relating to rocks formed during this period. See also primary, secondary. noun (tertiaries) 1 (the Tertiary) the first geological period of the Cenozoic era. 2 RC Church a lay person who is affiliated to a monastic order and who follows a slightly modified form of that order's rule.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c: from Latin tertiarius, from tertius third.
tertiary adj 1 third in order, degree, importance, etc. 2 said of education: coming after secondary, eg university or college. Compare primary, secondary. 3 chem (abbreviation tert.) denoting complete replacement of hydrogen atoms in an organic molecule by other chemical groups. Compare primary, secondary. 4 chem, denoting extraction of petroleum by high-pressure pumping into rock structures. 5 (Tertiary) geol relating to the first period of the Cenozoic era. 6 relating to rocks formed during this period. See also primary, secondary. noun (tertiaries) 1 (the Tertiary) the first geological period of the Cenozoic era. 2 RC Church a lay person who is affiliated to a monastic order and who follows a slightly modified form of that order's rule.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c: from Latin tertiarius, from tertius third.
tertiary adj 1 third in order, degree, importance, etc. 2 said of education: coming after secondary, eg university or college. Compare primary, secondary. 3 chem (abbreviation tert.) denoting complete replacement of hydrogen atoms in an organic molecule by other chemical groups. Compare primary, secondary. 4 chem, denoting extraction of petroleum by high-pressure pumping into rock structures. 5 (Tertiary) geol relating to the first period of the Cenozoic era. 6 relating to rocks formed during this period. See also primary, secondary. noun (tertiaries) 1 (the Tertiary) the first geological period of the Cenozoic era. 2 RC Church a lay person who is affiliated to a monastic order and who follows a slightly modified form of that order's rule.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c: from Latin tertiarius, from tertius third.
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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