Dictionary.com
definitions

decennial

[ dih-sen-ee-uh l ]
/ dɪˈsɛn i əl /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR decennial ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or for ten years.
occurring every ten years.

noun

a decennial anniversary.
its celebration.

RELATED CONTENT

When “Mixed” Isn’t EnoughRead how Professor Nicole Holliday explains why some individuals and groups that identify as two or more races are sensing a lexical gap for terms they would like for their own their specific racial combination.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

decimal, decuple, denary, tenfold

Nearby words

  1. decemvirs,
  2. decenary,
  3. decencies,
  4. decency,
  5. decennary,
  6. decennium,
  7. decent,
  8. decenter,
  9. decently,
  10. decentralization

Origin of decennial

1650–60; < Latin decenni(um) a period of ten years (decenn(is) decennary + -ium -ium) + -al1
Related formsde·cen·ni·al·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for decennial

British Dictionary definitions for decennial

decennial

/ (dɪˈsɛnɪəl) /

adjective

lasting for ten years
occurring every ten years

noun

a tenth anniversary or its celebration
Derived Formsdecennially, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for decennial

decennial

adj.

1680s, from Latin decennium, from decennis "of 10 years," from decem "ten" (see ten) + annus "year" (see annual). For vowel change, see biennial.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper