millennial

1 of 2

adjective

mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl 

1

: of or relating to a millennium

This geopolitical specification of the millennium—this identification of the New Jerusalem with a particular place and people—was rare, even in a time of millennial fervor.

—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

2

: of, relating to , or belonging to the generation of people born in the 1980s or 1990s : of or relating to millennials

More than 60% of millennial voters support the birth control mandate.

—Katie McDonough

millennial

2 of 2

noun

: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s

—usually plural

Examples of millennial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Keller points to the overall strength of the economy as a reason for millennial optimism. —Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 6 June 2024

From preloved mall favorites to vintage and reworked garments, Depop’s inventory has attracted a user base that grew by 17% to around 35 million—predominantly Gen Z and millennial—users in 2023. —Armani Syed, TIME, 30 May 2024

Noun

For a generation of millennials steeped in underground electronic music, their sound was fresh and challenging. —Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2024

But typical generational investing profiles could shift as separate surveys have shown that younger Americans are especially eager to retire early, with most millennials aiming for a nest egg of $1 million-$2 million and Gen Zers shooting for $500,000-$1 million. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1991, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing millennial

• multi-millennial

Kids Definition

millennial

1 of 2 adjective

mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl 

: of or relating to a millennium

millennial

2 of 2 noun

: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s

—usually used in plural