quincentennial

noun

quin·​centen·​ni·​al ˌkwin-sen-ˈte-nē-əl How to pronounce quincentennial (audio)
quincentennial adjective

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The United States is such a young country that it will be quite some time before we reach our quincentennial as a nation: 2276 A.D., to be exact. Some American cities will celebrate their quincentennials long before that, but even St. Augustine, Florida, the nation's oldest city, will have to wait until 2065. Meanwhile, many young people can look forward happily to our national tricentennial in 2076; and their grandchildren may be around for our quadricentennial in 2176.

Examples of quincentennial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
As Guam, the Philippines, Spain and even Portugal celebrate and question the quincentennial, the explorer’s legacy remains as complicated as ever. Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, 19 Sep. 2019 Then, the painting will return to the Salle des États in time for a landmark exhibition celebrating the quincentennial of da Vinci’s death. Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Latin quinque five + English centennial

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quincentennial was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near quincentennial

Cite this Entry

“Quincentennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quincentennial. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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