trio

Where does the word "trio" come from? It comes from Latin tre, passing through Italian before entering English (1720s).

Trio’s story begins in Latin: tre meant “three.” Three, the root of any group of three. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in Italian as trio. Italian, from 'tre', three, on the model of 'duo'. It reached English by 1720s as trio. Settled as the English word for any group of three. Today, trio means a group of three people, especially musicians, or a piece for three performers.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tre "three", three, the root of any group of three.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1700s trio "a group of three musicians", Italian, from 'tre', three, on the model of 'duo'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1720s trio "a group of three people or things", settled as the English word for any group of three.