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

In 2021, at age 33, Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, became the first millennial to serve in the Senate. —Gromer Jeffers Jr, Dallas Morning News, 19 Jan. 2026

The tie waist is really just millennial icing on the cake. —Lauren Finney Harden, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026

Noun

Nostalgia-prone millennials got a sugar rush of excitement when Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis returned last year to dabble in body swapping once more with their Freakier Friday. —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 20 Jan. 2026

Venture capital was cheap, platforms were underpriced, and software functioned to your personal advantage, with aforementioned unicorns flush with cash and willing to offer millennials a crazy deal. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Jan. 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