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
George Yang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
This is a rare trifecta that puts your voice, your willpower, and your aura on high.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
Coos Bay is one of a trifecta of cities — with Charleston and North Bend — that make up Oregon’s Adventure Coast.
—Nora Heston Tarte, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Dylan, Kelly and Brenda The Dylan, Kelly and Brenda trifecta practically invented the love triangle trope on TV.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 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 8 Oct. 2025.
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