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

Many of today’s millennial TV and film creators grew up in the 1990s, when the nascent Cartoon Network began airing anime shows. —Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026

At a time when theaters are struggling to sell tickets, exhibitors are betting on increasingly elaborate popcorn buckets like the $50 Yoshi container to capitalize on millennial nostalgia, drum up excitement for movies and ultimately increase profits. —Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026

Noun

By generation, 87% of Gen Zers and 82% of millennials saw at least one movie theatrically in the past 12 months, compared with 70% of Gen Xers and 58% of baby boomers. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026

Sargsyan notes that the urge for an exterior refresh has a wide, generation-spanning appeal, ranging from 18% of millennials to 21% of baby boomers who opt to take on the project. —Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026

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

Rhymes for millennial

• biennial
• centennial
• decennial
• perennial
• quadrennial
• quinquennial
• triennial
• bicentennial
• sesquicentennial

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