SkySea wrote:
As long as we're trifling with this tricky language, here's a triad to
consider: tripod, trio, and tritium. All refer to "three", and this
trimuvirate form a tribute to the trials and tribulations of learning
English.

But for all three examples you gave, the word constituents are Greek
from "tri-a"="three".

For Trifid, I am not at all sure that the second constituent (-fid) has
any significant Greek root. For that matter, had I not known the Greek
name for Trifid, I wouldn't be so sure about the "tri" part, either.

In Greek it's called "Trischides" from "tri" and "schizo" (verb)="to
tear".(Hence "schizophrenia" an old misnomer for the disease). I have no
idea how "fid" got in there :-)

Now that this thread is as old as a trilobite, I'll put in my
preference for "TRY-fid".

---------
Dale Gombert ( ), W. Seattle, WA, USA
http://flavorj.com/~skysea (stereo, scenic, and astro photos)
--
I. N. Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
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Eventually, _everything_ is understandable