Meanings
proper noun
- A set of three behavioral characteristics — cruelty to animals, firesetting, and bedwetting past the age of five — claimed to be associated with later violent tendencies.
Origin
Named after John Macdonald (psychiatrist), who proposed it in the 1960s.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Macdonald triad. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Macdonald%20triad
MLA
“Macdonald triad.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Macdonald%20triad. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Macdonald triad,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Macdonald%20triad.
Source: Macdonald triad on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.