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The best-known type of triad is a type of musical chord consisting of three notes. A D-major triad is made up of the notes D, F-sharp, and A; an F-minor triad is made up of F, A-flat, and C; and so on. Major and minor triads form the basis of tonal music, and songs and other pieces usually end with a triadic harmony. In medicine, a triad is a set of three symptoms that go together. The Chinese criminal organizations called triads got their name from the triangular symbol that they used back when they began, centuries ago, as patriotic organizations. Today, with over 100,000 members, the triads operate in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries.
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Examples of triad in a Sentence
Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Chords have cultural identities attached to them: major triads are bright, minor triads are gloomy, perfect fifths are sturdy, tritones and semitones are unsettling.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
The stunt works, scaring off the triads from finalizing their international distribution deal with Oz.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2024
However, since Roberson was convicted in 2003, the science behind the triad’s being a sole diagnosis of abuse has come under intense scrutiny.
—Dan Slepian, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Triad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triad. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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triad
noun
Medical Definition
triad
noun
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