Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

third degree

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.79 in modern English

Syllables
third de-gree
IPA
17
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession

Informal

Example Sentences

Etymology

Attested from 1900. The phrase, meaning "intense interrogation by police," likely refers to the Third Degree of Master Mason in Freemasonry, the ceremony for which included an interrogation. Alternatively, it reflects the practice of interrogation under torture, where three degrees of torture were recognized, of increasing intensity. In other contexts, three degrees of interrogation were recognised, with torture being the third degree.

Usage

Phrases

Spanish Inquisition

Frequently Paired Words

Spanish Inquisition

Questions

What does third degree mean?
Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession
Where does third degree come from?
Attested from 1900. The phrase, meaning "intense interrogation by police," likely refers to the Third Degree of Master Mason in Freemasonry, the ceremony for which included an interrogation. Alternatively, it reflects the practice of interrogation under torture, where three degrees of torture were recognized, of increasing intensity. In other contexts, three degrees of interrogation were recognised, with torture being the third degree.

How to pronounce third degree

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “third degree”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “third degree”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “third degree” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.