tripos

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tripos

/ˈtɹaɪpɒs/ UK

Where it comes from

Alteration of tripus, as though with a Greek ending. For the examination: the word is supposed to refer to the three-legged stool formerly used at the examinations for these honours, though some derive it from the three brackets formerly printed on the back of the paper.

The etymon of tripus is the Ancient Greek τρίπους (trípous, “triple-footed”), (from τρι- (tri-, “three”) and πούς (poús, “foot”)).

noun triposes

obsolete A three-legged structure; a tripod. Thales sent the golden tripos, which the fishermen found and the oracle commanded to be “given to the wisest”, to Bias, Bias to Solon, etc.
Any of the final examinations for a BA honours degree. I'm seriously thinking of chucking my tripos and taking up the History Special.
The list of successful candidates in such an examination.

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MLA

"tripos." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/tripos. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

tripos. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/tripos

Chicago

"tripos." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/tripos.

BibTeX

@misc{tripos_2026,
  title = {tripos},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/tripos},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}