trifecta

American  

[trahy-fek-tuh] / ˈtraɪˌfɛk tə /

noun

1. Sports.

   1. a type of bet, especially on horse races, in which the bettor must select the first three finishers in exact order.

   2. a race in which such bets are made.

2. a group, set, or series of three; a triad.

   Plain yogurt is the perfect food, with its trifecta of carbs, protein, and fat.

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trifecta British  

/ traɪˈfɛktə /

noun

1. a form of betting in which the punter selects the first three place-winners in a horse race in the correct order

2. any achievement involving three successful outcomes

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Etymology

Origin of trifecta

First recorded in 1970–75; tri- + (per)fecta

Example Sentences

That came as a trifecta of geopolitical risk, a more hawkish-sounding Federal Reserve and another surge in oil prices spooked investors across Asia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The Greenland crisis, and the tariff risk it’s thrown up, has triggered a sell-off across most asset classes, including a trifecta of declines in U.S. stocks, bonds and its currency.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

“The trifecta of rich valuations, increasing macro risk, and—perhaps most importantly—deteriorating company fundamentals is very dangerous,” the authors wrote.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

Philadelphia sports fans endured a home-team trifecta, starting with the Phillies’ season-ending playoff loss to the Dodgers plus regular-season losses by the Eagles and Flyers.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2025

I shove the half-lemon in, shove Grandma out, tell myself the English bloke has glandular fever, cold sores, and tooth decay, the trifecta of unkissability, like every other hot male in Lost Cove.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson