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
Mia Taylor, Twin Cities, 23 May 2026
The Toronto Sceptres hit the ice in January 2024, while AFC Toronto made its debut in April 2025, making Toronto one of only three North American cities to host professional women’s hockey, soccer, and basketball teams—a wicked trifecta.
—Julia Viele, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 May 2026
The trifecta of brands gave sustainable fashion a palpable feeling of traction.
—Elizabeth Cline, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
How did the 31-year-old actor pull off the ultimate prestige-TV trifecta?
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 18 May 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 31 May. 2026.
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