/ Dictionary / Index T third-rate: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: third-rate Pronunciation: (thûrd'rāt'), [key] — adj. of the third rate, quality, or class. distinctly inferior: a third-rate performance. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: third-rate (Thesaurus) third rail third reading Related Content Daily Word Quiz: ounterfeit Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language