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.

Origin of triple threat

1
First recorded in 1920–25

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use triple threat in a sentence

Other Idioms and Phrases with triple threat

triple threat

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.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.