I.num. distr. adj. [ter].
I. Lit., three each: “ea partes habet novem discretas, ter ternas,” Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 12; so, “terni ter cyathi,” Hor. C. 3, 19, 14: “ut in jugera singula ternis medimnis decidere liceret,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 48, § 114; so id. Balb. 21, 48; Caes. B. G. 3, 15 al.: “ternae sunt utriusque partes,” Cic. Or. 60, 201: “muneraque in naves ternos optare juvencos,” Verg. A. 5, 247: “ternūm pedum longitudo,” Plin. 11, 29, 35, § 103: “ternūm digitorum,” id. 20, 17, 73, § 190: “cubitorum,” id. 25, 6, 30, § 66; also, “intervallo ternorum pedum,” id. 16, 36, 67, § 173: “pariunt terna ova,” Col. 8, 14, 5.—In sing.: “terno consurgunt ordine remi,” Verg. A. 5, 120: “te Gratia terna afflavit,” i. e. the three Graces, Claud. Laud. Seren. 88.—
II. Transf., for tres, three: “quid ternas (litteras)?” Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 33: “tres equitum numero turmae ternique vagantur Ductores,” Verg. A. 5, 560: “saecula,” Tib. 4, 1, 112: “terna guttura monstri,” Ov. M. 10, 22: “immane est vitium, dare milia terna macello,” Hor. S. 2, 4, 76: “ter terna, quae sunt novem,” Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 6.