triplicate
Meaning
Existing in three copies or corresponding parts; triple.
A set of three identical copies or corresponding parts.
To make three identical copies of something.
Structure
Usage
Please complete the form in triplicate, keeping the pink copy for your records.
The contract was triplicated so that each party could have an original.
The triplicate invoices were filed separately for accounting, client, and archive purposes.
Etymology
The word 'triplicate' originates from the Latin verb triplicare, meaning "to triple," which itself is derived from triplex (threefold). This Latin term is a compound of tri- (three) and the root plic- (to fold), from the Proto-Indo-European root plek- meaning "to plait." The core logic of the word is the concept of folding or layering something to produce three corresponding parts. Over time, the meaning evolved from the literal sense of making three folds to the more abstract administrative and legal sense of producing three identical documents or copies, emphasizing exact correspondence rather than physical folding.
Analysis
- tri: From Latin tri-, meaning "three." A numerical prefix indicating quantity. - plic: From Latin plicare, meaning "to fold." A root denoting the action of bending or layering. - ate: A suffix of Latin origin (-atus) used to form adjectives, nouns, and verbs indicating a state or action.