diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.test.tsx b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.test.tsx
index 057fc25f84b3b..94411e13fb63c 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.test.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('terms', () => {
               operationType: 'terms',
               params: {
                 orderBy: { type: 'alphabetical' },
-                size: 5,
+                size: 3,
                 orderDirection: 'asc',
               },
               sourceField: 'category',
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe('terms', () => {
           params: expect.objectContaining({
             orderBy: '_key',
             field: 'category',
-            size: 5,
+            size: 3,
           }),
         })
       );
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('terms', () => {
         operationType: 'terms',
         params: {
           orderBy: { type: 'column', columnId: 'col1' },
-          size: 5,
+          size: 3,
           orderDirection: 'asc',
         },
         sourceField: 'category',
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ describe('terms', () => {
           operationType: 'terms',
           params: {
             orderBy: { type: 'column', columnId: 'col1' },
-            size: 5,
+            size: 3,
             orderDirection: 'asc',
           },
           sourceField: 'category',
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ describe('terms', () => {
           operationType: 'terms',
           params: {
             orderBy: { type: 'column', columnId: 'col1' },
-            size: 5,
+            size: 3,
             orderDirection: 'asc',
           },
           sourceField: 'category',
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ describe('terms', () => {
         <InlineOptions state={state} setState={setStateSpy} columnId="col1" layerId="first" />
       );
 
-      expect(instance.find(EuiRange).prop('value')).toEqual(5);
+      expect(instance.find(EuiRange).prop('value')).toEqual(3);
     });
 
     it('should update state with the size value', () => {
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.tsx b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.tsx
index bbab3efdb6b30..912a532621d43 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/lens/public/indexpattern_plugin/operation_definitions/terms.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ function isSortableByColumn(column: IndexPatternColumn) {
   return !column.isBucketed && column.operationType !== 'filter_ratio';
 }
 
+const DEFAULT_SIZE = 3;
+
 export const termsOperation: OperationDefinition<TermsIndexPatternColumn> = {
   type: 'terms',
   displayName: i18n.translate('xpack.lens.indexPattern.terms', {
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ export const termsOperation: OperationDefinition<TermsIndexPatternColumn> = {
       isBucketed: true,
       indexPatternId,
       params: {
-        size: 5,
+        size: DEFAULT_SIZE,
         orderBy: existingMetricColumn
           ? { type: 'column', columnId: existingMetricColumn }
           : { type: 'alphabetical' },