millennial

1 of 2

adjective

mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl How to pronounce millennial (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Alongside an influx of popular college players entering the league in 2024, the WNBA has seen a corresponding surge in Gen Z and young millennial viewers entering its fan base over the last two seasons — a significant portion of them young boys. Ben Pickman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Where her millennial pop peers have failed to retain relevance, Swift has managed to manoeuvre through the popsphere while rewriting the playbook of the genre. Bianca Davino, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
Concertgoers ranged from families with young kids, playing around the Brookside grounds waiting for the main act to take the stage, to Gen Z and millennials to older fans. Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2025 That clarity may be part of why Gen Z is contributing to 401(k) plans earlier than millennials did. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for millennial

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1991, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of millennial was in 1660

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Millennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/millennial. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

millennial

1 of 2 adjective
mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl How to pronounce millennial (audio)
: of or relating to a millennium

millennial

2 of 2 noun
: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on millennial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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