annual

1 of 2

adjective

an·​nu·​al ˈan-yə(-wə)l 

-yü-əl

1

: covering the period of a year

annual rainfall

annual income

2

: occurring or happening every year or once a year : yearly

an annual reunion

an annual physical checkup

3

: completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year

annual plants

annual

2 of 2

noun

1

: an event that occurs yearly

2

: a publication appearing yearly

the high-school annual

3

: something that lasts one year or season

specifically : a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season

Examples of annual in a Sentence

Adjective

The annual meeting is in July.

The company's earnings for last year are published in the annual report.

We had more snow this year than the average annual amount.

The company charges an annual fee of $45.

Noun

We planted some annuals in front of the house.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Armed with subpoenas, the Secret Service and other agencies are intensively focusing on what might have caused the suspect to book a room at the Washington Hilton, less than two miles north of the White House, on the night of the annual dinner. —Michael Collins, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026

Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Agents stand guard after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. —Terri Cullen,adam Jeffery, CNBC, 26 Apr. 2026

Noun

But unlike annuals that sprout and flower fast, perennials require patience and may take a year or more to bloom when grown from seed. —Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 22 Apr. 2026

The red, purple, or pink blooms thrive when many other annuals melt away in the scorching summer heat. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French annuel, from Late Latin annualis, blend of Latin annuus yearly (from annus year) and Latin annalis yearly (from annus year); probably akin to Goth athnam (dative plural) years, Sanskrit atati he walks, goes

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing annual

• annual increment
• annual report
• annual ring
• inter-annual

Rhymes for annual

• bimanual
• emmanuel
• nonmanual
• manual

Kids Definition

annual

1 of 2 adjective

an·​nu·​al ˈan-y(ə-w)əl 

1

: covering the period of a year

annual rainfall

2

: occurring or performed once a year : yearly

an annual meeting

3

: completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year

annual plants

annually

-ē

adverb

annual

2 of 2 noun

1

: a publication appearing yearly

2

: an annual plant

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English annual "for a year," from early French annuel and Latin annualis (both, same meaning), derived from Latin annus "year"