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

Before the millennial minimalism aesthetic took over, our world was colorful and changing constantly. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025

According to designer Jenna Gross, millennial gray has actually paved the way for chartreuse to become a popular color again. —Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025

Noun

Mintel revealed in 2022 how 88.5% of American millennials identified as tea drinkers, with many favoring functional teas that offer benefits like stress relief and immune support. —Douglas Yu, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

But Levine, a social media savvy young millennial, knew the line between sharing and scaring. —Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025

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