plural trilogies
Synonyms of trilogynext
: a series of three dramas or literary works or sometimes three musical compositions that are closely related and develop a single theme

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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.
Roach returns to New Line after directing the Austin Powers trilogy for the studio. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026 Mortensen portrayed the character in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy but, as The Hunt for Gollum takes place in the period between those films and The Hobbit series, the actor, 68, was replaced by a younger star. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2026 Even harder, Maas has now looped together ACOTAR with events from one of her other series, the trilogy Crescent City. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026 The film even spawned a three-film franchise, with the entire trilogy eventually pulling in over one billion dollars in box office bucks. — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Trilogy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trilogy. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Kids Definition

trilogy

noun
plural trilogies
: a series of three literary, dramatic, or musical works that are closely related and develop a single theme

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