tripod

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A stand with three legs that holds a camera, telescope or other instrument steady.

   Grammar: Often used with on: put the camera on a tripod.

   Patterns

   • on a tripod
   • mount something on a tripod

   She set up her camera on a tripod to avoid blurry night photos.

   The surveyor carried the tripod and measuring instrument up the hill.

   A tripod is a must for a long exposure of the stars.

2. 2nouncountable

   Any object, stool or frame that stands on three legs, such as a cooking stand over a fire.

   Grammar: Used as a general noun for any three-legged support.

   Patterns

   • hang a pot from a tripod

   The campers hung the kettle from an iron tripod over the fire.

   A wooden tripod held the sculptor's clay model.

   Ancient temples often had a bronze tripod for offerings.

Word forms

Common combinations

set up a tripod

Set up a tripod before you start filming the interview.

camera tripod

A camera tripod folds small enough to fit in a backpack.

mount on a tripod

Mount the telescope on a tripod and level it carefully.

carbon fiber tripod

He bought a carbon fiber tripod because it was light.

Synonyms and how they differ

stand

Stand is a general word for any support, whereas tripod specifies exactly three legs.

easel

An easel holds a painting or board upright, so it serves an artist, not a camera.

monopod

A monopod has one leg, so it is lighter but less steady than a tripod.

Word family

tri- prefix

meaning three, as in triangle and tricycle

monopod noun

a single-legged support for a camera

bipod noun

a two-legged support, such as one on a rifle

Commonly confused: tripod or tripe?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “tripod”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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