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
Jared Weiss, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
Shot during Su’s Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei exhibition, the film explores the era’s signature trifecta of living rooms, dining rooms and disco clubs.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Feb. 2025
Democrats have struggled to find their footing after their resounding defeat in November, especially with Republicans seizing the government trifecta.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Feb. 2025
In the countries featured in her itineraries’ alpine trifecta, Stynes believes the high elevations, where snow is still abundant, are full of untapped potential, particularly as temperatures fluctuate.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 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 1 Mar. 2025.
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