millennium

noun

mil·len·ni·um | \ mə-ˈle-nē-əm

plural millennia\ -nē-ə

\ or millenniums

Definition of millennium

1a : 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

2a : 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.

Other Words from millennium Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about millennium

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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

Take Bierstadt: These landscapes, we are told, were meant to show the West free of human presence, even though Indian tribes had been there for millennia. — Edward Rothstein, WSJ, "‘Nature’s Nation: American Art and Environment’ Review: History Through an Ideological Filter," 13 Feb. 2019 But while microneedling has only become a must-have beauty treatment in recent years, the traditional Chinese medicinal practice of acupuncture has been around for millennia. — Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, "What Exactly Is Facial Acupuncture — And Why You Should Try It," 6 Feb. 2019 For millenniums, the port cities in Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique have been centers of long-distance trade and cultural exchange from multiple directions. — New York Times, "23 Art Exhibitions to View in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 12 July 2018 Flood irrigation has been used in the area for millennia, though FAO has warned of massive water wastage. — Washington Post, "Iraq bans farming summer crops as water crisis grows dire," 5 July 2018 Considering that mothers have been breastfeeding their babies for millennia, this may seem ridiculous. — E.j. Dickson, Vox, "Inside the mommy-friendly, scientifically sketchy world of breastfeeding supplements," 20 Dec. 2018 Rodents, for example, drag bones into the caves and have for millennia. — Lydia Pyne, Ars Technica, "Rising Star found a new species—now it wants to find a new way for paleoanthropology," 20 Dec. 2018 Some species have thrived beneath the surface for millennia, despite conditions that would hamper their survival on the ground. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Vast Ecosystem of Underground Organisms Holds More Life Than Earth's Oceans," 11 Dec. 2018 People have been traveling across the world for millennia, bringing smallpox to the Americas or spreading the plague across Europe. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "What happens on plane full of sick passengers? An aerospace medicine expert explains," 6 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'millennium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.