Ternary: meaning, definitions and examples
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ternary
[ ˈtɜrnəri ]
mathematics, programming
Ternary refers to something that consists of three parts or elements. In mathematics and programming, it often describes operations or functions that involve three operands.
Synonyms
threefold, trinitarian, tripartite
Examples of usage
- Ternary operator allows for a compact conditional statement.
- In a ternary system, numbers are expressed using base three.
- The ternary structure of the composition creates a balanced piece.
mathematics, programming
In programming, a ternary expression is a shorthand for an if-else statement, allowing you to assign a value based on a condition succinctly. It typically takes the form of 'condition ? value_if_true : value_if_false'.
Synonyms
conditional expression, ternary operator
Examples of usage
- You can use a ternary for simple conditional assignments.
- The ternary syntax varies between programming languages.
- JavaScript supports the ternary operator for conditional expressions.
Translations
Translations of the word "ternary" in other languages:
🇵🇹 ternário
- ternário (matemática)
- ternário (programação)
🇮🇳 तिर्यक
- त्रैतीयक
- त्रैतीय
🇩🇪 ternär
🇮🇩 ternari
- tiga bagian
- tiga kali
🇺🇦 тернарний
🇵🇱 ternarny
🇯🇵 三項の
🇫🇷 ternaire
🇪🇸 ternario
🇹🇷 ternary
🇰🇷 삼항의
🇸🇦 ثلاثي
🇨🇿 ternární
🇸🇰 ternárny
🇨🇳 三元的
🇸🇮 ternarni
🇮🇸 þríhliða
🇰🇿 үшжақты
🇬🇪 სამმაგი
🇦🇿 ternar
🇲🇽 ternario
Word origin
The term 'ternary' is derived from the Latin word 'ternarius', which means 'consisting of three.' It can be traced back to the word 'terni', meaning 'three each.' The adoption of 'ternary' in English dates back to the 15th century, primarily used in mathematical contexts to describe systems based on three parts or elements. Over time, its use has expanded into various fields, including logic, computing, and linguistics, to denote concepts that involve the number three. The concept of ternarity is significant in many areas such as the ternary numeral system in mathematics and ternary logic in computing, which further emphasizes the importance of the trio in different methodologies.
Word Frequency Rank
With rank #16,605, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.
- ...
- 16602 streamlined
- 16603 brewery
- 16604 palladium
- 16605 ternary
- 16606 radon
- 16607 liquefaction
- 16608 pressurized
- ...