trifecta

noun

tri·​fec·​ta trī-ˈfek-tə 

ˈtrī-ˌfek-

1

: triple sense 1b

achieved a show-business trifecta : a platinum record, hit TV series, and an Oscar

2

: a variation of the perfecta in which a bettor wins by selecting the first three finishers of a race in the correct order of finish

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms of trifecta

• trio
• triad

Examples of trifecta in a Sentence

that summertime trifecta for meteorologically induced misery: hazy, hot, and humid

Recent Examples on the Web

This trifecta makes the dwelf quite possibly the most visually unusual cats on our list. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Winnie helped deliver free breakfast and lunch for every public school student in Michigan and led the Senate through a trifecta that delivered the largest working families tax cut in decades. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Should all three players sign with Texas A&M, the trifecta would mark the 13th time an out-of-state team has secured three or more Super 11s since the honor’s inception in 1985. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Case in point is the winning automotive trifecta created as concepts by Alfa Romeo in the mid-1950s. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

tri- + perfecta

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trifecta

• ejecta
• insecta
• analecta
• imperfecta
• recta