millennium

noun

mil·​len·​ni·​um mə-ˈle-nē-əm How to pronounce millennium (audio)
plural millennia mə-ˈle-nē-ə How to pronounce millennium (audio) or millenniums
1
a
: the thousand years mentioned in Revelation (see revelation sense 3) 20 during which holiness is to prevail and Christ is to reign on earth
b
: a period of great happiness or human perfection
2
a
: a period of 1000 years
especially : one reckoned from the beginning of the Christian era
at the start of the third millennium
b
: a 1000th anniversary or its celebration
In 2015 the city of Leipzig, Germany, celebrated its millennium.

Did you know?

Since in Latin mille means "thousand", a millennium lasts 1,000 years. Thus, we're living today at the beginning of the third millennium since the birth of Christ. But some religious sects, relying on a prophecy in the biblical Book of Revelation, speak of a coming millennium when Jesus will return to reign on earth for 1,000 years, evil will be banished, and all will live in peace and happiness. Members of these sects who keep themselves in a constant state of preparedness are called millenarians or millennialists.

Examples of millennium in a Sentence

The book describes the changes that have occurred in the landscape over many millennia. The year 2000 was celebrated as the beginning of the third millennium.
Recent Examples on the Web Toohey says that the people that did use it probably remained somewhat nomadic for another half millennium or so. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Caesar overestimated the solar year by about 11 minutes, leading to an overcorrection by about eight days each millennium. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024 This technique yielded pictures that suggest a spectator’s movement through vast expanses of tans and browns, or layers of rock built up and worn down by millennia. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Paper, used in China for more than a millennium, slowly made its way westward with the spread of Islam and then advanced across Europe. Claudia Roth Pierpont, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 Ice Spice is bringing new millennium freak out back. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024 Soon after the new millennium came around, Jennings' declining health worsened when he was diagnosed with diabetes. The Arizona Republic, 15 Feb. 2024 The dessert bursts with rich flavor, complex texture and millennia of meaning. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 But the Dolphins have reached the playoffs just six times this millennium. Safid Deen, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'millennium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin mille thousand + New Latin -ennium (as in biennium)

First Known Use

circa 1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of millennium was circa 1638

Dictionary Entries Near millennium

Cite this Entry

“Millennium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/millennium. Accessed 15 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

millennium

noun
mil·​len·​ni·​um mə-ˈlen-ē-əm How to pronounce millennium (audio)
plural millennia
-ē-ə
or millenniums
1
a
: a period of 1000 years
b
: a 1000th anniversary or its celebration
2
: a period of great happiness
millennial
-ē-əl
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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