Tripoint

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The single point at which the boundaries of three countries, states, or regions converge and meet together
2. A location where three separate borders or dividing lines come together at one common spot on a map
3. The place where three territories touch, marking the junction at which three distinct boundary lines intersect

Etymology: "Tripoint" is a compound built from "tri-", meaning three, and "point". The point element traces back through Old French "point" to Latin "punctum", a pricked spot, from "pungere", to prick, so the word's core is a small mark made by a sharp touch. A tripoint is therefore the single place where three borders or territories meet, a point on the map where three lines converge. The combining form "tri-" comes from Latin and Greek roots meaning three, and English has long used it to build words like "triangle" and "tripod". Attaching it to "point" simply names the geographic meeting place of three regions, with no older sense to unwind. The word's usefulness is mostly in describing boundaries that touch three sides at once, such as the places where three countries share a common corner.

Synonyms: trijunction