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
Aris Folley, The Hill, 8 Sep. 2025
Minnesota, however, already passed an array of far-reaching gun control measures in recent years, thanks largely to a Democratic trifecta controlling the state House, Senate, and governorship.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Get the recipe > Employing the trifecta of corn, squash, and beans, this hearty stew is the perfect way to use up the most abundant ingredients at your local farmers market.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 4 Sep. 2025
The Novice somehow manages to capture the obsessiveness of athletic competition, friendship envy, and lesbianism all in one movie — a perfect trifecta.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trifecta
Cite this Entry
“Trifecta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trifecta. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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