threesome
threesome — noun
1. A set of three people who are together for a shared activity, situation, or purp
A set of three people who are together for a shared activity, situation, or purpose — for example, three friends travelling together, three colleagues working on a project, or three people seated at a table.
A threesome of old college friends rented a beach house for the holiday weekend.
collocation: a threesome of [people] + singular verb
The restaurant seated the threesome at a quiet table near the window.
Zayd, Christopher, and Rodrigo formed a threesome to enter the three-person boat race.
Hari, Marco, and Min made an unusual threesome — a painter, a chef, and a nurse.
- trio
More neutral and can describe people or things; 'trio' is preferred for musical groups and is less casual than 'threesome'.
- triad
More formal or technical; often used in sociology, music theory, or chemistry rather than everyday speech.
- triplet
Almost exclusively used for three babies born at the same birth or three matching objects; not interchangeable for general groups.
文法句型
a threesome of + plural noun
threesome + singular verb
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'of' to specify who makes up the group, as in 'a threesome of friends'. The verb is usually singular (a threesome was seen), though plural gets used informally.
常見錯誤
2. A sexual encounter or relationship that involves three people at the same time,
A sexual encounter or relationship that involves three people at the same time, typically discussed in informal or personal contexts rather than clinical writing.
The magazine article explored why some couples consider having a threesome.
collocation: have a threesome; informal register
Eight percent of survey participants said they had tried a threesome.
Sivan and her partner discussed whether a threesome would help or hurt their relationship.
The film portrayed a couple considering a threesome with a close friend.
- menage a trois
A French loan phrase meaning a household or sexual arrangement involving three people; sounds more literary or sophisticated.
文法句型
have a threesome
participate in a threesome
threesome + singular verb
用法筆記
This sense is informal and describes sexual activity. Avoid using it in formal, academic, or professional writing about relationships or sexuality — use 'group sex involving three people' or 'three-person sexual encounter' instead. In Taiwan Mandarin, 三人行 is the common informal equivalent.
常見錯誤
3. A type of golf match with exactly three players, where one person plays a ball o
A type of golf match with exactly three players, where one person plays a ball of their own while the other two share a single ball and take turns hitting it.
The club scheduled a threesome because an odd number of players had arrived.
collocation: schedule a threesome
In a threesome, Apinya played her own ball while Hugo and Felipe shared one.
in a threesome + description of rules
The country club rules require a threesome to finish the round in under four hours.
Zola enjoyed the threesome because it moved faster than a game with four players.
- three-ball match
A less common term for a three-person golf game; sometimes implies each player uses their own ball.
- foursome
A golf match between two pairs of players
文法句型
play a threesome
in a threesome
用法筆記
This is a technical golf term. In most casual golf, foursomes (two pairs) are more common, and a threesome happens when an odd number of players are left. Do not confuse with 'foursome' (four players in pairs) or 'singles match' (one-on-one).