trio
/ˈtriːəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtriːəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtrē-(ˌ)ō/ (ame, mw)
trio — noun
- triosingular
- triosplural
1. any grouping that consists of exactly three members, whether people or objects
any grouping that consists of exactly three members, whether people or objects
Nkechi, Rohan, and Élise formed a trio and volunteered to organise the school fair.
formed a trio — three names listed as the group members
A trio of mousse, crème brûlée, and sorbet arrived at the table.
trio of + nouns for three food items
A trio of small islands lies just off the coast near the old lighthouse.
The detective interviewed a trio of witnesses who had all seen the car leave.
Hugo and his two cousins were a familiar trio at every family gathering.
- threesome
more informal, usually refers only to people, sometimes with a romantic meaning
- triad
more formal, often used for abstract concepts or organized groups
- trilogy
specifically for three related creative works, such as books or films
- triplet
usually refers to three babies born together or three identical musical notes
文法句型
trio of + noun
form a trio
用法筆記
Commonly used with the structure 'a trio of + plural noun' to describe any collection of three related items or people.
常見錯誤
2. a small ensemble of three singers or instrumentalists that perform as a unit
a small ensemble of three singers or instrumentalists that perform as a unit
The jazz trio performed at a small club in the city centre last Saturday.
jazz trio — type of music before trio
Élise joined a piano trio with a violinist and a cellist from her music school.
piano trio — specifies the instruments in the group
A famous vocal trio sang the national anthem at the opening of the sports event.
The trio practised every evening in the garage for three months before their first show.
Ryo plays bass in a trio that mixes traditional folk music with modern pop.
文法句型
trio + verb (as subject)
play in a trio
in a trio
用法筆記
The type of trio can be specified by the instruments (piano trio, string trio) or the style of music (jazz trio, folk trio). For singers, use 'vocal trio'.
常見錯誤
3. a musical work written so that three performers can play or sing it together
a musical work written so that three performers can play or sing it together
The composer wrote a piano trio that became popular in concert halls across Europe.
piano trio — a specific type of composition
Lakan spent the afternoon learning the second movement of a Beethoven trio on his violin.
The music teacher asked students to bring a flute, clarinet, and piano trio to class.
Hugo downloaded the sheet music for a jazz trio and started practising with his bandmates.
- composition
a general term for any written piece of music, not limited to three performers
- piece
informal and general; specify 'piece for three players' for clarity
文法句型
compose a trio
play a trio
trio for + instrument
用法筆記
When specifying the instruments, use the pattern 'trio for [instrument, instrument, and instrument]'. Common types include piano trio (piano, violin, cello) and string trio (violin, viola, cello).