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
Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Though Democrats have held a trifecta of control over the executive branch and both chambers in the state Legislature, there’s often a sense the party hasn’t delivered on promises such as affordable housing or high-speed rail.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2025
Only three players have ever pulled off that trifecta: O’Neal, Michael Jordan (four times) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
As the midterm elections approach, Democrats have been in search of messaging that sticks after their sweeping losses in 2024, when the GOP secured a trifecta in Washington for the next two years.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 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 3 Jul. 2025.
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