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

• trio
• triad

Examples of trifecta in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

But Rotterdam has always lived in the shadow of its more glamorous neighbor to the north, Amsterdam, whose art trifecta of the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk, and the Van Gogh Museum offer stiff competition, as do its charming canals and old-world architecture. —Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 27 July 2025

Part of the New England kid trifecta of school field trips: sugar shack, cider press, and dairy farm. —Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025

Completing the trifecta is his identity as a formidable superhero who battles fictional enemies including Lex Luthor and real-life villains like Hitler and Stalin. —Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025

Top Makeup Tips From Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders These three words are the baseline requirements for any lasting makeup look, and almost every Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader seems to swear by this trifecta. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

tri- + perfecta

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trifecta

• ejecta
• insecta
• analecta
• imperfecta
• recta