tertiary

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nounformal

   Third in order, rank or importance, coming after primary and secondary.

   Grammar: Used before a noun: tertiary consideration, tertiary color.

   Patterns

   • a tertiary concern

   Cost was only a tertiary concern for the design team.

   Orange-red is a tertiary color made by mixing a primary and a secondary color.

   Tertiary care covers specialized treatment in large hospitals.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounBritish

   Relating to education after secondary school, such as colleges and universities.

   Grammar: Common in British, Australian and international English: tertiary education.

   Patterns

   • tertiary education
   • tertiary institution

   She plans to enter tertiary education next year.

   Tertiary students often work part-time.

   The government increased funding for tertiary institutions.

Common combinations

tertiary education

Tertiary education includes universities and technical colleges.

tertiary sector

The tertiary sector covers services such as banking.

tertiary color

Teal is a tertiary color.

tertiary consideration

Appearance was a tertiary consideration.

tertiary level

He teaches at tertiary level.

Synonyms and how they differ

third

Third is the everyday word for order, while tertiary is formal and used in technical settings.

higher

Higher in higher education means similar to tertiary, but it is less technical.

minor

Minor suggests lesser importance, not exactly third in a series.

Opposites

Word family

tertian adjective

recurring every third day, as of a fever

secondary adjective

second in order or importance

quaternary adjective

fourth in a series

Commonly confused: tertiary or tertiery?

Practice

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