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
Sophie-Claire Hoeller, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
This trifecta can make taxes a burden for rural families.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
His return finally makes the Chiefs whole, with the Rice-Hollywood Brown-Xavier Worthy trifecta at last available at the same time.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025
That’s not to mention the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway and the bucket list-worthy trifecta of mountains called the Peaks of Otter, each of which lead to scenic summits for far-reaching panoramas.
—Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2025.
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