485BPOS 2012-05-31 0000030167 2012-10-01 DREYFUS THIRD CENTURY FUND INC false 2012-09-26 2012-10-01 <tt>The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities <br />(or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher <br />transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable <br />account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in <br />the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the <br />fund's portfolio turnover rate was 64.12% of the average value of its portfolio.</tt> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.dreyfus.com/role/ExpenseExample_S000000095Member column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.dreyfus.com/role/BarChartData_S000000095Member column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~</div> <tt>The fund seeks to provide capital growth,</tt> <tt>The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund<br />with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you<br />invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all <br />of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your<br />investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses<br />remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on<br />these assumptions your costs would be:</tt> reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes <tt>To pursue its goals, the fund, under normal circumstances, invests at least 80%<br />of its net assets in the common stocks of companies that, in the opinion of the<br />fund's management, meet traditional investment standards and conduct their<br />business in a manner that contributes to the enhancement of the quality of life<br />in America.<br /> <br />The fund's investment strategy combines a disciplined investment process that<br />consists of computer modeling techniques, fundamental analysis and risk<br />management with a social investment process. In selecting stocks, the portfolio<br />managers begin by using computer models to identify and rank stocks within an<br />industry or sector, based on several characteristics, including value, growth<br />and financial profile.<br /> <br />Next, based on fundamental analysis, the portfolio managers designate the most<br />attractive of the higher ranked securities as potential purchase candidates,<br />drawing on a variety of sources, including company management and internal as<br />well as Wall Street research.<br /> <br />The portfolio managers then evaluate each stock to determine whether the company<br />enhances the quality of life in America by considering its record in the areas<br />of protection and improvement of the environment and the proper use of our<br />natural resources, occupational health and safety, consumer protection and<br />product purity and equal employment opportunity.<br /> <br />The portfolio managers then further examine the companies determined to be<br />eligible for purchase, by industry or sector, and select investments from those<br />companies the portfolio managers consider to be the most attractive based on<br />financial considerations.</tt> Fund Summary <tt>with current income as a secondary goal by investing in stocks that meet certain <br />financial as well as social criteria.</tt> You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in certain funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Example After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Investment Objective The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money. Principal Risks Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) 0.6412 Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Year-by-Year Total Returns as of 12/31 each year (%) -- Class Z Sales charges, if any, are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would have been less than those shown. Performance 50000 The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. <tt>Best Quarter Q2, 2009: 17.10% <br />Worst Quarter Q4, 2008: -21.30% <br /><br />The year-to-date total return of the fund's Class Z shares as of <br />June 30, 2012 was 8.14%.</tt> Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as percentage of the value of your investment) Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/11) <tt>The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the fund's Class Z shares from <br />year to year. Sales charges, if any, are not reflected in the bar chart, and if <br />those charges were included, returns would have been less than those shown.</tt> Portfolio Turnover <tt>An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by <br />the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. It <br />is not a complete investment program. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes <br />dramatically, which means you could lose money.<br /><br />o Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds<br />and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that<br />stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles,<br />with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock<br />may decline due to general weakness in the stock market or because of factors<br />that affect the company or its particular industry.<br /><br />o Social investment risk. A socially responsible investment criteria may limit<br />the number of investment opportunities available to the fund, and as a result,<br />at times the fund's returns may be lower than those funds that are not subject<br />to such special investment considerations.</tt> Fees and Expenses After-tax performance is shown only for Class Z shares. After tax performance of the fund's other share classes will vary. Principal Investment Strategy www.dreyfus.com <tt>The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of<br />investing in the fund. The table compares the average annual total returns <br />of the fund's shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The <br />fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future <br />results.&#xA0;&#xA0;More recent performance information may be available at<br />www.dreyfus.com.</tt> <tt>This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold<br />shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your<br />family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in certain<br />funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. More information about these and other<br />discounts is available from your financial professional and in the Shareholder<br />Guide section on page 8 of the Prospectus and in the How to Buy Shares section<br />and the Additional Information About How to Buy Shares section on page II-1 and<br />page III-1, respectively, of the fund's Statement of Additional Information.<br />Class A shares bought without an initial sales charge as part of an investment<br />of $1 million or more may be charged a deferred sales charge of 1.00% if<br />redeemed within one year.</tt> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.dreyfus.com/role/OperatingExpensesData_S000000095Member column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~</div> You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares: <div style="display:none">~ http://www.dreyfus.com/role/PerformanceTableData_S000000095Member column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact * column rr_PerformanceMeasureAxis compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~</div> <tt>After-tax performance is shown only for Class Z shares. After tax performance <br />of the fund's other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated <br />using the historical highest individual federal marginal tax rates, and do not <br />reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend <br />on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the <br />after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares <br />through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement<br />accounts.</tt> An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. <div style="display:none">~ http://www.dreyfus.com/role/ExpenseExampleNoRedemption_S000000095Member column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~</div> <div style="display:none">~ http://www.dreyfus.com/role/ShareholderFeesData_S000000095Member column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~</div> S&P 500 Comp Stock Price Index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes 0.0209 -0.0025 0.0292 Class Z returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares 0.0059 0.0141 0.0123 Class Z returns after taxes on distributions 0.0059 0.0157 0.0139 DRTHX -0.2937 Worst Quarter Best Quarter 0.0000 2012-06-30 Class Z returns before taxes 109 2009-06-30 109 340 -0.2130 0.0593 0.1449 1306 590 0.0756 0.1710 0.0069 0.0032 -0.3430 0.0075 2008-12-31 1306 0.3330 0.0166 0.0347 340 590 The year-to-date total return 0.0069 0.2587 0.0000 0.0144 0.0107 0.0901 0.0814 0.0000 DRTCX 0.0000 Class I returns before taxes 94 94 293 1131 509 0.0084 0.0017 0.0075 1131 0.0180 293 509 0.0000 0.0154 0.0092 0.0000 DTCCX 0.0000 Class C returns before taxes 308 208 643 2379 1103 -0.0122 0.0055 0.0075 2379 0.0067 643 1103 0.0075 0.0044 0.0205 0.0100 DTCAX 0.0575 Class A returns before taxes 701 701 966 2063 1252 -0.0540 0.0056 0.0075 2063 0.0020 966 1252 0.0000 0.0059 0.0131 0.0000 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberck0000030167:C000000149Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberck0000030167:C000000151Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberck0000030167:C000000152Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberck0000030167:C000000154Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberrr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMemberck0000030167:C000000154Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberrr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMemberck0000030167:C000000154Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Memberck0000030167:RRINDEX00001Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 ck0000030167:SummaryS000000095Memberck0000030167:S000000095Member 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 0000030167 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 pure iso4217:USD