Category:Tertiary

Ter"ti*a*ry, a. Etym: [l. tertiarius containing a third part, fr. Tertius third: cf. F. tertiaire. See tierce.]

1. Being of the third formation, order, or rank; third; as, a Tertiary use of a word. Trench.

2. (chem.)

Defn: possessing some quality in the third degree; having been Subjected to the substitution of three atoms or radicals; as, a Tertiary alcohol, amine, or salt. Cf. Primary, and secondary. (ch3)3c.oh.

3. (geol.)

Defn: later than, or subsequent to, the secondary.

4. (zoöl.)

Defn: growing on the innermost joint of a bird's wing; tertial; -- Said of quills. Tertiary age. (geol.) See under age, 8. -- tertiary color, a color produced by the mixture of two Secondaries. "the so-called tertiary colors are citrine, russet, and Olive." Fairholt. -- tertiary period. (geol.) (a) the first period of the age of Mammals, or of the cenozoic era. (b) the rock formation of that Period; -- called also tertiary formation. See the chart of geology. -- tertiary syphilis (med.), the third and last stage of syphilis, In which it invades the bones and internal organs.

Tertiary Ter"ti*a*ry, n.; pl. Tertiaries (.

1. (r. C. Ch.)

Defn: a member of the third order in any monastic system; as, the Franciscan tertiaries; the dominican tertiaries; the carmelite Tertiaries. See third order, under third. Addis & arnold.

2. (geol.)

Defn: the tertiary era, period, or formation.

3. (zoöl.)

Defn: one of the quill feathers which are borne upon the basal joint Of the wing of a bird. See illust. of bird.