quadrennial

adjective

qua·​dren·​ni·​al kwä-ˈdre-nē-əl How to pronounce quadrennial (audio)
1
: consisting of or lasting for four years
2
: occurring or being done every four years
quadrennial noun
quadrennially adverb

Did you know?

Most things quadrennial occur every four years (that's the more common use). We can say, for example, that the U.S. presidential election is a quadrennial event. But we can also say that president's term in office is quadrennial, making good use of the "lasting four years" sense. The Latin combining form quadri- adds a factor of four to many English words: quadriceps (the thigh muscle, which has four parts), quadrilateral (a four-sided polygon), quadragenarian (a person in his or her 40s), and quadricentennial (a 400th anniversary), to name a few. The -ennial part of quadrennial has the same root as in biennial and centennial; all trace back to annus, the Latin word for "year."

Examples of quadrennial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Institutional enthusiasm for digital assets is rising, and the U.S. regulatory climate has grown friendlier, even as the economics of mining face more pressure from bitcoin’s quadrennial halving. Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025 Loeb, general secretary-treasurer James B. Wood and 13 international vice presidents were re-appointed at the union’s quadrennial convention in Honolulu on Thursday. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2025 The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees late Thursday also re-elected its General Secretary-Treasurer James B. Wood, along with 13 VPs and others at the quadrennial convention in Honolulu. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2025 Holding their quadrennial slating session for state and county offices, county Democratic slatemakers also snubbed Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and instead endorsed, by an overwhelming margin, Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes for the countywide job. Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for quadrennial

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quadrennial was circa 1656

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Cite this Entry

“Quadrennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quadrennial. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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