# trio

Pronunciation: say "TREE-oh" US /ˈtɹioʊ/, UK /ˈtɹi.əʊ/

## Noun

1. A group of three people or things considered together as a unit.
   - Simple: A set of three people or things grouped together.
   - _The negotiating committee was a trio of seasoned diplomats._
   - _Two trios of researchers pursued competing solutions to the problem._
2. A group of three musicians who perform together as an ensemble.
   - Simple: Three musicians who play music together as one group.
   - _A string trio opened the evening's program._
   - _Several trios auditioned for the orchestra's chamber series._
3. A piece of music written for three musicians to perform together.
   - Simple: A piece of music made for three players to perform.
   - _She wrote a trio for clarinet, viola, and piano._
   - _The quartet also performs several trios from the Classical period._
4. A passage in the middle of a minuet, frequently set in a different key from the surrounding sections.
   - Simple: The middle section of a minuet (a slow, old-fashioned dance) often played in a different key.
   - _The minuet's trio shifts into the relative minor before the opening returns._
   - _Composers often gave the trio a lighter scoring than the dance around it._
5. A cocktail made with a spirit, a liqueur, and a creamy ingredient combined together.
   - Simple: A mixed drink made with a strong liquor, a liqueur, and something creamy.
   - _The bartender shook a trio with brandy, coffee liqueur, and cream._
   - _Dessert menus often list trios alongside other after-dinner drinks._
6. A fast-food dish that combines three items (commonly fries, fried rice, and curry sauce) in a single serving.
   - Simple: A takeout meal that puts three fast foods together in one box.
   - _The takeout shop is famous for its late-night trio._
   - _They split a couple of trios after the match._

## Origin

Borrowed around 1715-25 from Italian "trio," which traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *tréyes.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/trio (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).