1. tertian - Noun
2. tertian - Adjective
Occurring every third day; as, a tertian fever.
A disease, especially an intermittent fever, which returns every third day, reckoning inclusively, or in which the intermission lasts one day.
A liquid measure formerly used for wine, equal to seventy imperial, or eighty-four wine, gallons, being one third of a tun.
Source: Webster's dictionarya tertian tonal system Source: Internet
tertian fever Source: Internet
All triads are tertian chords (chords defined by sequences of thirds), and a major third would produce in this case a non-tertian chord. Source: Internet
Hippocrates described periodic fevers, labelling them tertian, quartan, subtertian and quotidian. citation The Roman Columella associated the disease with insects from swamps. Source: Internet
Most chords in western music are based on "tertian" harmony, or chords built with the interval of thirds. Source: Internet