trifecta
noun
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.
Examples of trifecta in a Sentence
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
Gill, 31, was sworn into Congress just three months ago, days before President Donald Trump assumed the Oval Office and Republicans started their work with a trifecta in Washington.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2025
That this change is reportedly being considered when Republicans hold a trifecta makes the whole thing more astonishing.
—The Editors, National Review, 1 Apr. 2025
These long-term struggles are happening ahead of a trifecta of huge sporting events that are headed to the South Bay in 2026, including the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup matches and a round of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 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 21 May. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share