tertier

Tertier is not part of standard modern English vocabulary. In most contexts it appears as a misspelling or as an archaic or regional variant of meanings related to “third” or “third in rank.” Because of its similarity to the widely used word tertiary, readers should interpret it cautiously and rely on the surrounding text for intended sense.

Etymology: The form resembles tertiary, which ultimately comes from Latin tertius, meaning “third.” In some older French-language sources, a variant spelling akin to tertier may be encountered, but contemporary French uses tertiaire for the sense of “tertiary.”

Usage: In contemporary writing, tertier is rarely used in English; if encountered, it is typically a typographical error or a purely nominal usage (for example, as a surname or place name). There is no widely recognized scientific, historical, or cultural concept universally identified as tertier.

See also: tertiary; third; tier. If you intended a different term, such as tertiary or third-tier, that is likely the correct form.