millennial

American  

[mi-len-ee-uhl] / mɪˈlɛn i əl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a millennium or the millennium.

2. worthy or suggestive of the millennium.

3. (often initial capital letter) noting or relating to the generation born in the 1980s or 1990s, especially in the U.S.

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noun

millennials plural

1. (often initial capital letter) a person born in the 1980s or 1990s, especially in the U.S.; a member of Generation Y.

   Millennials are facing a deep economic crisis.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• millennially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• millennials
  plural

Etymology

Origin of millennial

First recorded in 1655–65; millenni(um) + -al ¹

Explanation

Anything millennial has something to do with a span of a thousand years. If you're an English history buff, you might mark your calendar to celebrate the millennial anniversary of the 11th-century Norman Conquest — which will occur in 2066. Save the date! It sounds like "million," but millennial goes back to the Latin mille, or "thousand." It originally meant "pertaining to a period of 1,000 years," or "pertaining to a millennium." We still use it this way, referring to the 21st century and the new millennium: "The art museum put on a millennial show in 2000." It's most commonly used for the generation of people born between the early 1980s and about 2000: "Oh, those millennials and their avocado toast."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

millennial millennials

"We're not so stuck in our ways," she said of millennial voters.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Perhaps Schiller, a millennial in her 30s, hopes they will identify with her personal struggles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

If you think his millennial lingo is a sign that he lacks judgment in other areas, you can tell him that “you guyses” are splitting up with him.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

"Hacks," the tale of a stand-up comedian trying to revive her career and the dysfunctional millennial assistant who helps her, leads the way with 24 nominations.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

They formed a group that was prepared to receive the millennial knowledge Nicolas had acquired in the East.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Like many millennials, I grew up at the peak of the American abstinence education movement and the American evangelical obsession with virginity.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Spotify reported a surge interest in audiobook translations of "The Odyssey": searches skyrocketed by 310 percent, with Gen Z and millennials leading the demand.

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

For millennials like Tasmiyah Manan from Oakwood in north Leeds, South Asian broadcasting didn't just entertain; it shaped how she understood herself.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Praised for: Following up on a beloved first season by pitting millennials against Gen Zers through a feud between two couples who work at a country club.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

In the second quarter of this year, Gen Z accounted for 20% of rate locks for purchase mortgages, while millennials represented 45%.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026