triple threat

noun

1. an expert in three different fields or in three different skills in the same field.
2. Football. a back who is proficient at running, passing, and punting:

   The triple threat is a rare find for coaches.

Word History and Origins

Origin of triple threat¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Idioms and Phrases

A person who is adept in three areas, as in She's a triple threat on the editorial staff—she can edit, write, and design pages . This term comes from football, where it signifies a player who is good at running, passing, and kicking. [c. 1920] Also see hat trick .

Example Sentences

Still, throughout the pandemic, the three-time Helen Hayes Award-winning actor and genuine triple threat has proved resilient and, in his words, lucky.

From Washington Blade

In other words, what happened to the much-vaunted Triple Threat?

From The Daily Beast

But the biggest reason the Triple Threat has disappeared is because their main vehicle—the musical—has also faltered.

From The Daily Beast

Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, the cast of Glee—even J-Lo—fall into the category of Triple Threat.

From The Daily Beast

Since the golden era, cultural shifts have allowed the Triple Threat to disappear.

From The Daily Beast