\Tri"pos\, n.; pl. {Triposes}. [Gr. ? a tripod. See
{Tripod}.]
1. A tripod. [Obs.] --Dryden.
2. A university examination of questionists, for honors;
   also, a tripos paper; one who prepares a tripos paper.
   [Cambridge University, Eng.]
{Classical tripos examination}, the final university
   examination for classical honors, optional to all who have
   taken the mathematical honors. --C. A. Bristed.
{Tripos paper}, a printed list of the successful candidates
   for mathematical honors, accompanied by a piece in Latin
   verse. There are two of these, designed to commemorate the
   two tripos days. The first contains the names of the
   wranglers and senior optimes, and the second the names of
   the junior optimes. The word tripos is supposed to refer
   to the three-legged stool formerly used at the
   examinations for these honors, though some derive it from
   the three brackets formerly printed on the back of the
   paper. --C. A. Bristed.