tertiary
tertiary — adjective
1. relating to the third position, rank, or stage in a sequence of things — often u
relating to the third position, rank, or stage in a sequence of things — often used when the first two positions or levels have already been mentioned or established.
The report divided the production process into primary, secondary, and tertiary stages.
tertiary stage — position in a three-level sequence
After the primary and secondary power units failed, the tertiary system kept the hospital running.
tertiary system — third backup in a safety hierarchy
Niran's role was tertiary; he stepped in only when the two main coordinators were unavailable.
The university sees research as its primary goal, teaching as secondary, and community service as tertiary.
Fire drills practise the main escape routes; the tertiary path is for extreme emergencies only.
- third
everyday equivalent; 'tertiary' is more formal and used in systematic classifications
- third-level
hyphenated compound, less formal but more descriptive
文法句型
tertiary + noun
用法筆記
Attributive only — used before a noun, not after a linking verb. Commonly pairs with primary and secondary to describe a three-part ranking or hierarchy.
常見錯誤
2. relating to education that takes place after secondary school, especially at col
relating to education that takes place after secondary school, especially at colleges, universities, and other institutions that offer degrees and diplomas.
After finishing high school, Gabriel enrolled in a tertiary institution to study engineering.
tertiary institution — college or university
The government plans to increase funding for tertiary education to make university more affordable.
tertiary education — formal term for university-level study
Mei-Lin applied for a government scholarship before starting her tertiary studies at a nursing college in Taipei.
Élise completed her tertiary qualifications in just three years at a technical college.
Brazilian universities reported a 12% rise in tertiary applications this January, led by public engineering colleges.
- higher education
more common globally, especially in American English; slightly less formal
- post-secondary
used in official contexts, especially in Canada; broader and includes vocational training
- primary education
elementary school level
- secondary education
high school level
文法句型
tertiary + noun (education, institution, student, study, qualification)
用法筆記
Frequently used in British English and other Commonwealth varieties. In American English, higher education or post-secondary education is more common.
常見錯誤
3. relating to the part of a country's economy that provides services rather than p
relating to the part of a country's economy that provides services rather than producing goods — including businesses such as banking, tourism, education, healthcare, and retail.
The country's economy shifted from farming to a tertiary model based on tourism and banking.
tertiary model — service-based economy
Jobs in the tertiary sector include teaching, nursing, and retail work.
tertiary sector — the service sector of an economy
After a highway linked rural Thai villages to Bangkok, workers moved from farming into tertiary jobs like tourism and retail.
Nikhil works in the tertiary sector as a financial advisor for small businesses.
The city's tertiary economy expanded quickly with new restaurants, hotels, and shops opening every month.
- service-sector
more descriptive and equally formal; used as a compound adjective
- service-based
broader term, less tied to economic theory
文法句型
tertiary + noun (sector, industry, economy)
用法筆記
Usually paired with primary (agriculture, mining) and secondary (manufacturing) to form the three-sector model of the economy.
常見錯誤
tertiary — noun
1. a person who is part of a religious order, such as the Franciscans, but lives at
a person who is part of a religious order, such as the Franciscans, but lives at home and follows a simpler version of the order's spiritual rules instead of living inside a monastery.
Rafael became a tertiary of the Franciscan order while continuing his work as a teacher.
tertiary of [order] — membership structure
Unlike monks, tertiaries live in their own homes and follow a simpler rule of prayer and service.
The Dominican tertiaries meet every Saturday for community service and religious discussion.
St. Francis founded a third order for tertiaries who wished to serve God while living at home.
- lay brother
a male religious member who is not ordained; narrower — refers to a monastery resident, not an outside member
- lay member
broader term for any non-clergy member of a religious organisation
文法句型
tertiary of + religious order
用法筆記
Often capitalised (Tertiary) when referring to a specific order. The plural form is tertiaries. The most well-known groups are Franciscan tertiaries and Dominican tertiaries.
2. a geological period that lasted from about 66 million years ago to about 2.6 mil
a geological period that lasted from about 66 million years ago to about 2.6 million years ago — a time when mammals became widespread and modern climate patterns began to develop.
Fossils from the Tertiary period show the early development of modern mammals.
the Tertiary period — geological time unit
Geologists study Tertiary rocks to understand how the climate changed millions of years ago.
The Tertiary geological period is split into five smaller epochs, including the Eocene, when early horses and whales first appeared.
Antonia found a shell fossil in the Tertiary rock layer near the coast.
文法句型
the Tertiary
the Tertiary period
用法筆記
Always capitalised. In modern geological terminology, the Tertiary has been replaced by the Paleogene and Neogene periods, but it is still widely used in older texts and informal discussions.