trito-, trit-

1. In classical poetry, a poetic "foot" consisting of stressed and unstressed syllables, or three long syllables and one short syllable: An epitrite is denominated, or designated; as first, second, third, or fourth; depending on the position of the short syllable.

At the literary club Solomon recited his poetry, emphasizing the epitrites of the verses.

2. Etymology: from Late Latin epitritos and from Greek epitritos, "containing one and one third"; from epi-, "upon" + tritos, "third".

1. Having three cusps or points: Dr. Kilfoil examined the tricuspid teeth or molars in Janet's lower jaw and he noted that there were no new cavities.
2. Referring to a valve in the heart consisting of three membranous flaps at the opening of the right auricle and into the right ventricle as in the heart of most mammals: The cardiologist, Dr. Timmons, listened carefully to Sandra's heart so he could hear the action of the tricuspid valves in order to determine if there were any tricuspid obstructions.

In ancient Greek drama, the third actor, whose part is usually that of the evil genius or as a promoter of the sufferings of the protagonist: In his lively readings of ancient Greek dramas, Dr. Cooper used a shrill voice when he represented the tritagonist talking.

An unusual type of color blindness in which there is a deficiency or lack of sensitivity to color by certain retinal or the blue sensitive cones: Hector learned to compensate for his tritanomaly by asking his friends about certain colors in order to make sure he got them right.

1. A rare condition in which perception of blue and green becomes confused: Tritanopia is a result of the absence of the blue-sensitive pigment in the cone cells of the retina.
2. A visual defect in which the retina fails to respond to the color blue: Due to his tritanopia, Lord Allton, the artist, worked in black and white, avoiding the use of any warm tones in his paintings.
3. Etymology: from Greek tritos, "third" + anopia, "blindness". Based on the idea of not seeing a third of the color spectrum.

A group of three cists, or chambers, in a prehistoric tomb: The explorers, lead by Sir Alfred, were excited when they discovered the tritaph in the ancient desert tomb they had uncovered.

Belief in three gods, especially the belief or doctrine that the Christian Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit consist of three distinct divinities or three separate gods: Because her neighbors were sensitive about religious matters, Dahlia did not tell them about her belief in tritheism.

A person who believes that the three persons of the Christian Trinity are three separate gods: Tritheists have a belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct deities, which is considered contrary to the established teachings of orthodox Christianity.

A rule or government by three spirits; a group of three divine beings exercising joint rule: The astonished townspeople watched the three volcanoes erupt in the distance and believed it was the gods of the tritheocracy arguing and throwing fire and stones at each other.

1. A radioactive hydrogen isotope with an atomic mass three times that of the common protium isotope: Tritium has two neutrons as well as a proton in the nucleus which occurs in very small traces in nature; however, it can be made artificially from lithium or deuterium in nuclear reactors and it is used as the explosive in thermonuclear bombs.
2. Etymology: from Greek tritos, "third".

The third tine of a deer's antler in order of development, or the one developed after the third year: Among the "trophies" on the wall in the hunting club were several photographs of young deer with tritoceres.

1. A minor sea god of Greek mythology who had the head and upper body of a man and a dolphin's tail and was the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite:

Triton's special attribute was a twisted conch shell which he blew like a trumpet to calm or to raise the waves of the seas.

As a Greek god, Triton was the messenger of the deep who is usually represented as a "merman", having the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish.

Like his father, Triton carried a trident or a three pronged spear.

The image of Triton has been depicted on some ancient earthen vessels filled with wine.

2. Etymology: from Greek via Latin Triton.

There is no evidence that Triton's name is related to the prefix trito- trit-; however, it might have come from this element.

An interval composed of three whole musical notes: The tritone derives its name from the fact that it spans three whole tones and it refers to any musical interval of six semitones.

Two tritones add up to six whole tones, or twelve semitones, which usually produce a perfect octave.

An individual invertebrate animal that reproduces non-sexually by budding or splitting, especially one that lives in a colony in which each member is joined to others by living material, for example a coral: When visiting Australia, Kitty arranged to visit the Great Coral Reef which she knew was comprised of millions of tritozooids.

The theoretical study of the origin and development of molar teeth in mammals, starting with the primitive cone teeth of reptiles: The imminent zoologist, Dr. Hasty, prepared charts demonstrating his recent trituberculy of mammalian molar development.