trifecta

noun

tri·​fec·​ta trī-ˈfek-tə 

ˈtrī-ˌfek-

1

: triple sense 1b

achieved a show-business trifecta : a platinum record, hit TV series, and an Oscar

2

: a variation of the perfecta in which a bettor wins by selecting the first three finishers of a race in the correct order of finish

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms

• threesome
• triad
• trinity
• trio
• triple
• triplet
• triumvirate

Examples of trifecta in a Sentence

that summertime trifecta for meteorologically induced misery: hazy, hot, and humid

Recent Examples on the Web

The trifecta of declining trust in public institutions, rapid advancements in generative AI technologies and the growing influence of social media is making the question of election integrity – and therefore the legitimacy of democratic processes – more fraught. —Aaron Stanley, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

The donations — revealed in disclosures with the Federal Election Commission Thursday — show that the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX chief executive officer has poured money into the Washington trifecta: funding Trump’s White House bid, along with supporting House and Senate Republicans. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2024

Trump was outspent in 2016, and the GOP won a trifecta — the presidency, House, and Senate. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 26 Oct. 2024

That's why Dems see winning back the House – and denying Donald Trump the trifecta – as a moral imperative. —Justin Green, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

tri- + perfecta

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 2