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
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.
As auroras form, Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that produces a stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers that have fascinated humans for millennia. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024 And for millennia, those birds stopped to rest and feed in the wetlands of California’s Central Valley. Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024 In the series, the crew of the Scavenger are the first and only humans to live on Earth in nearly a millennium. Jamie Lang, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024 Now, Ionescu stands just one win away from capping off one of the greatest calendar years by any basketball player this millennium. Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for millennium 

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 24 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!