triformadj.

c1450 Mirour Saluacioun 683 This temple of Salomon had on it pynacles thre Be whilk the triforme Auriole of marye takened may be.

1660 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. III. i. 56 Something, which hath beginning, middle, and end. To such a form and nature they attributed the number Three, saying, that whatsoever hath a middle is triform.

1678 R. Cudworth True Intellect. Syst. Universe i. v. 673 Centaurs, and Scyllas, and Chimeras;..mixtly Boviform and Hominiform, Biform and Triform Animals.

1816 R. Jameson Treat. External Characters Minerals (ed. 2) 197 A Crystal is..bi-form, tri-form..when it contains a combination of two or three remarkable forms.

1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. Triforme, hauing three formes or fashions.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost iii. 730 The neighbouring Moon..With borrowd light her countenance triform Hence fills and empties. View more context for this quotation

1678 R. Cudworth True Intellect. Syst. Universe i. iv. 304 Damascius..tells us..that Orpheus introduced, τρίμορϕον θεὸν, a Triform Deity.

1684 T. Burnet Theory of Earth i. 164 This epistle..taught that the heavens and the earth had chang'd their form, and would do so again..; so as the same world would be triform in success of time.

1739 E. Carter tr. F. Algarotti Sir I. Newton's Philos. Explain'd II. 177 Her triform Goddess we before admired.

1847 J. Leitch tr. K. O. Müller Ancient Art §206 In the representation of the tri-form Hecate.

1877 G. F. Chambers Handbk. Descr. Astron. (ed. 3) i. xii. 136 I [Galileo] have observed the most distant planet [Saturn] to be tri-form.

1879 H. W. Warren Recreations in Astron. viii. 169 Huyghens..solved the problem of the triform appearance of Saturn.

1621 J. Taylor Superbiæ Flagellum sig. C8 That heights, depths, bredths, triform, square, oual, round, And rules Geometricall in beards are found.

1644 K. Digby Two Treat. i. xxiii. 212 That which is most watry, is fittest to fabricate the body..of the triformed plant.

a1662 P. Heylyn Cyprianus Anglicus (1668) iv. 368 Governed by a Try-formed Presbytery of Pastors, Elders, and Deacons.

a1739 C. Jarvis tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote (1742) I. iv. xvi. 297 O thou triformed luminary, bring me tidings of her.

1816 G. S. Faber Origin Pagan Idolatry I. 413 She [Sphinx] was likewise triformed, blending together in one figure a lion, a virgin, and a bird.

1841 J. G. Wilkinson Manners & Customs Anc. Egyptians 2nd Ser. I. xii. 232 The idea entertained by the Pagan Egyptians of a ‘triformous Deity’,..who assumed different names according to the triad under which he was represented.

1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Triformity, the having three Forms or Shapes.