trifecta

[ trahy-fek-tuh ]

noun

1. Sports. Compare superfecta none.
   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.

trifecta

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of trifecta¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of trifecta¹

from tri- + ( per ) fecta , a US system of betting

Example Sentences

Inspired by the tea party’s moderate successes during Barack Obama’s 2009 Democratic trifecta, Ezra Levin and his spouse, Leah Greenberg, both ex–congressional staffers, released a guide to blocking Trump’s agenda in mid-December 2016.

From Slate

Indivisible chapters and other new resistance groups were involved in the hallmark successes of the resistance, including the historic blue wave of the 2018 midterms and the protests that helped stop Trump’s Republican trifecta from repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017.

From Slate

In Washington political parlance, it's called "a governing trifecta", when the president's party also controls both chambers of Congress - the House of Representatives and the Senate.

From BBC

That said, a trifecta, if astutely managed, does open the way for the possibility of major legislative initiatives.

From BBC

Republicans need only two wins to achieve a majority in Congress — and obtain the elusive trifecta of being in charge of the House, Senate and the presidency.

From Los Angeles Times