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
Mike Lillis, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025
While the Negan-Maggie-Lucille trifecta will be in full force, season 2 of Dead City will have some new faces as well, and the trailer gives our first extended look at Sons of Anarchy's Kim Coates.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Aaron Rodgers has just one more stop to complete the entire Brett Favre trifecta.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2025
Deregulation rounded out his trifecta, with a pledge to axe ten regulations for every new one, freeing businesses from bureaucratic shackles to expand and onboard staff.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 5 Mar. 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 14 Apr. 2025.
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