trifecta
noun
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Where does trifecta come from?
Trifecta is a recent addition to the English language. It first appeared in the early 1970s as a term for a horse-racing bet in which the first, second, and third place finishers are chosen in the correct order.
The word has since broadened in meaning: it can now also refer to a group of three (usually desirable) things (such as “the trifecta of curing cancer, ending hunger, and putting an end to war"). It is found in everything from advertisements to media company names to casual speech.
Trifecta combines the prefix tri- (meaning “three”) with the last element in perfecta, a word of American Spanish origin that refers to a horse-racing bet in which the first- and second-place finishers are chosen correctly.
Examples of trifecta in a Sentence
Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
Serving in the minority party typically comes with its limitations, especially with Republicans’ political trifecta of the White House and both chambers of Congress.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 12 Jan. 2026
Or, stock your shower with a moisturizing conditioner, shampoo, and body wash, like this minimalist trifecta from Public Goods.
—Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
The trifecta of French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been working hard in recent months to steer the ship.
—Amanda Sloat, Time, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trifecta
Cite this Entry
“Trifecta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trifecta. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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