tertiary

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtəːʃ(ə)ri/

adjective

  • 1third in order or level: the tertiary stage of the disease
  • chiefly British relating to or denoting education at a level beyond that provided by schools, especially that provided by a college or university.
  • relating to or denoting the medical treatment provided at a specialist institution: patients in tertiary care
  • 2 (Tertiary) Geology relating to or denoting the first period of the Cenozoic era, between the Cretaceous and Quaternary periods, and comprising the Palaeogene and Neogene sub-periods.
  • 3 Chemistry (of an organic compound) having its functional group located on a carbon atom which is itself bonded to three other carbon atoms.
  • (chiefly of amines) derived from ammonia by replacement of three hydrogen atoms by organic groups.

noun

  • 1 (the Tertiary) Geology the Tertiary period or the system of rocks deposited during it.
  • 2a lay associate of certain Christian monastic organizations: a Franciscan tertiary

Origin:

mid 16th century (in tertiary (sense 2 of the noun)): from Latin tertiarius 'of the third part or rank', from tertius 'third'