Boy do i feel stupid

trip·li·cate (trip′li kit; for v., -kāt′)
1. adjective - threefold
2. noun - designating the third of identical copies

I always wondered what the frick people meant when they said "the report is to be submitted in triplicate" or "all information must be provided in triplicate" I thought it was some kind of special writing I didn't know about hahahha. Being a proposal writer and all, you'd THINK i would know they just meant three copies. How bout this, how bout say SUBMIT THREE COPIES of the report. It's shorter. Really, it is. For the love...