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

Much of this slick drama is a meditation on the differences between how baby boomers — in this case, an old hippy turned seemingly compassionate sage — talk and operate, and how that clashes with the language and moral urgency felt by a very different millennial generation. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

Beef’s second season leaves behind the parking lot feuds, instead focusing on two couples, one millennial (Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan) and one Gen Z (Melton and Cailee Spaeny), working at a California country club. —Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 19 Apr. 2026

Noun

First of all, kudos to whomever was able to sneak an entire rotisserie chicken into a playoff hockey game (probably a millennial, given their propensity for blowing their mortgages on them). —Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026

However, 31% of millennials and 41% of Gen Xers and baby boomers also siphoned money from their retirement savings. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 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

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