trilogy

noun

tril·​o·​gy ˈtri-lə-jē How to pronounce trilogy (audio)
plural trilogies
: a series of three dramas or literary works or sometimes three musical compositions that are closely related and develop a single theme

Did you know?

Dozens of tragic trilogies were written for the Greek stage, though only one, Aeschylus's great Oresteia (consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, *and *The Eumenides), has survived complete. Authors in later years have occasionally chosen to create trilogies to allow themselves to develop a highly complex story or cover a long span of time. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings wasn't actually intended as a trilogy, but since it was published in three volumes it's usually called one. George Lucas's three original Star Wars movies are an example of a film trilogy (which he followed many years later by another).

Examples of trilogy in a Sentence

the last book in the trilogy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But hey, credit where credit is due: Square Enix confirmed today that the latest in the Final Fantasy Remake trilogy is officially Steam Deck verified. Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 Looking ahead, Kapadia revealed plans for two additional features set in Mumbai, potentially forming a trilogy. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Jan. 2025 The album serves as the last part of a trilogy, following the singer's previous two studio releases, After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022). EW.com, 14 Jan. 2025 Released in 2005 as the final installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, ‘Revenge of the Sith’ depicts Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side and his transformation into the iconic villain Darth Vader. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for trilogy 

Word History

Etymology

Greek trilogia, from tri- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

circa 1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trilogy was circa 1661

Dictionary Entries Near trilogy

Cite this Entry

“Trilogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trilogy. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

trilogy

noun
tril·​o·​gy ˈtril-ə-jē How to pronounce trilogy (audio)
plural trilogies
: a series of three literary, dramatic, or musical works that are closely related and develop a single theme
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!