Phrase guide

ménage à trois

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌmeɪnɑːʒ ɑː ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • UK: /ˌmɛnɑːʒ ɑː ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • UK: /məˌnɑːʒ ɑː ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • US: /ˌmeɪnɑːʒ ɑː ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • US: /ˌmɛnɑːʒ ɑː ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • US: /məˌnɑːʒ ɑː ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • US: /məˌnɑːʒeɪ ˈt(ɹ)wɑː/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑː

1

noun

Meaning 1

A household or relationship whereby three people live together as lovers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A sexual act or experience involving three people; a threesome.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: lifestyle, sex, sexuality

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: three-way

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French ménage à trois (literally “household of three”).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мена́ж а троа́ (menáž a troá) — Translations
  • Dutch: ménage à trois — Translations
  • Dutch: driehoeksrelatie — Translations
  • Finnish: kolmen kimppa — Translations
  • French: ménage à trois — Translations
  • German: Ménage-à-trois — Translations
  • Hungarian: (édes) hármas — Translations
  • Italian: sesso a tre — Translations
  • Marathi: मेनाझ आ त्र्वा (menājh ā trvā) — Translations
  • Polish: ménage à trois — Translations
  • Portuguese: ménage à trois — Translations
  • Portuguese: sexo a três — Translations
  • Russian: шве́дская семья́ (švédskaja semʹjá) — Translations
  • Spanish: trío — Translations