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
Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
Republicans currently have a trifecta in the federal government, controlling the House of Representatives, Senate and White House.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Arc’teryx base layers hit the trifecta—we’re partial to the Rho line, which use the brand’s Torrent stretch fleece for light (never stifling) warmth and plenty of stretch.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
The trifecta was complete in March 2024 when Lee hired James Madison head coach Mark Byington to take over a men’s basketball program on its own seven-year tourney drought and a 9-23 season under Jerry Stackhouse.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 26 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 6 Feb. 2026.
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