third international: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal / Historical / Political
Quick answer
What does “third international” mean?
An ordinal number (third) combined with 'international' to denote either a specific instance or event occurring for the third time on a global scale, or a specific political organisation, most famously the Communist International (Comintern).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An ordinal number (third) combined with 'international' to denote either a specific instance or event occurring for the third time on a global scale, or a specific political organisation, most famously the Communist International (Comintern).
Can refer to the third iteration of any global event, competition, or conference. Historically and politically, it is strongly associated with the Third Communist International (1919–1943), a Soviet-led organization to promote world communism.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. American English may more frequently use 'Comintern' as a direct synonym in historical texts.
Connotations
In both varieties, the political term carries strong historical connotations of 20th-century communism, Soviet influence, and Cold War ideologies.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general language. Higher frequency in academic historical/political texts, with no notable UK/US disparity.
Grammar
How to Use “third international” in a Sentence
the + Third + Internationalthird + international + [noun]third + [event] + internationalVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “third international” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- She studied Third International policy documents.
- It was the third international symposium held in Oxford.
American English
- He wrote a paper on Third International ideology.
- This is the company's third international headquarters.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could refer to 'the third international branch' or 'third international product launch'.
Academic
Primary usage. Refers to the historical Communist International in political science/history texts.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used for a sports competition (e.g., 'his third international cap').
Technical
In historical/political discourse only, with precise reference to the 1919–1943 organization.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “third international”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “third international”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “third international”
- Using lowercase for the historical entity (e.g., 'third International' instead of 'Third International').
- Using 'the Third International' to mean any large third global event, causing confusion in academic writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When referring specifically to the Communist International (Comintern), it is a proper noun and must be capitalized: 'the Third International'. When used as a general descriptor (e.g., 'third international conference'), it is not.
They were successive international organisations of socialist and communist parties. The First (International Workingmen's Association, 1864–1876) was led by Marx. The Second (1889–1916) was a loose association of socialist parties. The Third (1919–1943), or Comintern, was a Soviet-controlled organisation for communist parties, advocating revolution.
It is very rare. A business might refer to its 'third international subsidiary' or a 'third international launch', but phrasing like 'third global' or 'third overseas' is more common to avoid historical connotations.
Standard online dictionaries provide pronunciation for individual words. The IPA shown is a concatenation of the standard pronunciations for 'third' and 'international' in each accent, reflecting how the phrase is spoken. The primary stress falls on 'ter' in 'international', with secondary stress on 'third'.
An ordinal number (third) combined with 'international' to denote either a specific instance or event occurring for the third time on a global scale, or a specific political organisation, most famously the Communist International (Comintern).
Third international is usually formal / historical / political in register.
Third international: in British English it is pronounced /ˌθɜːd ˌɪn.təˈnæʃ.ən.əl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌθɝːd ˌɪn.t̬ɚˈnæʃ.ən.əl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms. The term itself is a fixed historical/political designation.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: '1st International (Marx), 2nd International (Socialists), 3rd International (Communists/Lenin)'. The number indicates the historical sequence of major socialist international organisations.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL MOVEMENTS ARE BUILDINGS (found/dissolve the International), IDEAS ARE ORGANISATIONS.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'Third International' most likely NOT refer to the Comintern?