troika

noun troi·ka \ ˈtrȯi-kə \

Updated on: 4 Apr 2018

Definition of troika

1 : a Russian vehicle drawn by three horses abreast; also : a team for such a vehicle

2 : a group of three; especially : an administrative or ruling body of three

See troika defined for English-language learners

Examples of troika in a Sentence

A troika of countries signed the agreement.

Recent Examples of troika from the Web

But the new Trump-Bolton-Pompeo troika seems committed to Iraq-like fantasies that war can solve all.

— trudy rubin, Philly.com, "What H.R. McMaster's exit and John Bolton's arrival mean for the next three dangerous months | Trudy Rubin," 23 Mar. 2018
The creditors — a troika consisting of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund — held firm, threatening to kick Greece out of the euro zone unless its terms were met.

— Washington Post, "Battered for a decade, Greece feels an unexpected whiff of revival as Europe gains strength," 8 Mar. 2018
There was reported infighting throughout the season that seemed to threaten the power troika atop New England’s dynasty.

— conor orr, SI.com, "Bill Belichick Smiled How Many Times on Super Bowl Opening Night?," 30 Jan. 2018
Now, plug in Pittsburgh's troika of skill-position threats.

— conor orr, SI.com, "Tom Brady Struggles Mightily as Dolphins Pull Off Massive Upset on Patriots," 12 Dec. 2017
If only one of Philly’s troika reaches superstardom, the 76ers will have a long way to go to catch the Warriors.

— SI.com, "The Eight Biggest Threats to the Warriors," 9 Oct. 2017
The foundation, which would wind up spending $1 billion over the next 40 years on the project, ordered the two groups to merge, with a troika of two experimentalists, Drs.

— dennis overbye, New York Times, "2017 Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded to LIGO Black Hole Researchers," 3 Oct. 2017
Until Bob Stoops’ retirement last June, Boren, Joe Castiglione and Stoops formed a power troika that appeared mostly cohesive and lasted far longer than most in college athletics.

— george schroeder, USA TODAY, "Loud, influential David Boren, Oklahoma's retiring president, always put the Sooners first," 20 Sep. 2017
But most of his tenure was marked by unified public consensus among the troika.

— nick timiraos, WSJ, "Stanley Fischer, Ally of Yellen at the Fed, Plans to Step Down," 6 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'troika.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of troika

Russian troĭka, from troe three; akin to Old English thrīe three

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1842

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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TROIKA Defined for English Language Learners

troika

noun

Definition of troika for English Language Learners

: a group of three people, things, countries, etc.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about troika

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troika

Definition of troika

Examples of troika in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of troika

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troika

Definition of troika for English Language Learners

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