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

That's the trifecta every marketer is chasing. —Mike Snider, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

Republicans took back the state House, ending the Democratic trifecta in Michigan and opening a door to more cash-for-jobs deal scrutiny. —CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

Round out the condiment shelf with the classic trifecta of ketchup, mustard, and mayo. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026

Democratic trifectas in 2009-10 and 2021-22 – when the party held both chambers of Congress, along with the presidency – failed to produce meaningful movement on immigration policy. —Gary M. Segura, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 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