tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd 

1

: a three-legged stand (as for a camera)

2

: a stool, table, or altar with three legs

3

: a vessel (such as a cauldron) resting on three legs

tripod adjective

or tripodal

ˈtri-pə-dᵊl 

ˈtrī-ˌpä-

Examples of tripod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Residents will see metallic air-sampling canisters at the testing locations either hung from a fence or held up on a tripod, according to the department's fact sheet. —Doug Thompson, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2025

Andrew Davis, Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association Local 548 president, told USA TODAY on April 25 that 13 firefighters were involved in the operation, adding the agency's special operation units set up a tripod to lower a firefighter into the storm drain to retrieve the pet. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

Not filming anyone without their consent, minimizing time on benches and machines people want to use, and keeping tripods out of walkways should be the baseline. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025

The moon will turn a coppery red, and photographers should use a tripod and adjust settings to allow more light to enter the lens (longer exposure). —Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 8 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tripod-, tripus, from Greek tripod-, tripous, from tripod-, tripous, adjective, three-footed, from tri- + pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tripod

• abroad
• applaud
• backboard
• ballade
• defraud
• ephod
• facade
• guffawed
• outlawed
• ramrod
• roughshod
• slipshod

Kids Definition

tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd 

1

: something (as a container or stool) resting on three legs

2

: a three-legged stand (as for a camera)

Medical Definition

tripod

noun

tri·​pod ˈtrī-ˌpäd 

: a bone having three processes