annually
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of annually
First recorded in 1580–1600; annual ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Something that happens annually occurs once a year, every year. If you vacation at the beach annually, you do it every summer. Many people send holiday cards annually, mailing stacks of them every December, and everyone celebrates a birthday annually. If your work performance is reviewed annually, your boss might consider giving you a raise each year. The adverb annually comes from the adjective annual, which is rooted in the Late Latin annualis, based on annus, or "year."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Because of this, researchers are only able to conduct nudibranch studies for roughly four months annually.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
All told, Ford Energy plans to deploy at least 20 gigawatt hours annually of the company’s battery energy-storage systems.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
If someone claims early, they’ll receive smaller payments for additional years and can invest them — for, say, 7% annually before inflation, based on the stock market’s historic averages.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
Maximum heart rate decreases 1% annually, and muscle mass is lost with age; strength training is crucial for older adults.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
With very few exceptions, Africans at the time did not enjoy private tide to land in South Africa but were tenants paying rent annually to the government.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.