quadrennial

adjective

qua·​dren·​ni·​al kwä-ˈdre-nē-əl 

1

: consisting of or lasting for four years

2

: occurring or being done every four years

quadrennial noun

quadrennially

kwä-ˈdre-nē-ə-lē 

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

Winning the quadrennial tournament is considered the crowning achievement of a player’s career, and previous editions have seen some scintillating and era-defining performances from the GOATs over the decades. — Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 2026

But the quadrennial tournament also spotlights a lingering colonialism that has bound the world for centuries. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026

Fox and Telemundo are off to a blazing start in the TV ratings for the quadrennial soccer tournament, delivering big increases over the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar. — Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

The excitement for the quadrennial sporting event continues into the weekend. — Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 13 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for quadrennial

• bicentennial
• biennial
• centennial
• decennial
• millennial
• perennial
• quinquennial
• triennial
• sesquicentennial

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!