Three-photon absorption coefficients and the corresponding three-photon absorption cross-sections of several simple molecular liquids at 400 nm are obtained from intensity dependent transmission measurements. The peak power of the femtosecond laser pulses was varied from 10(12) to 10(15) W/m(2). For all liquids investigated the three-photon absorption coefficient was found to be close to 1 x 10(-27) m(3)/W-2. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.