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

Recently, in the r/workingmoms Subreddit, one poster wondered if she stood alone as an elder millennial who doesn’t have a reverential nostalgia for childhood summers.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026

I kind of scoffed or sighed or exhaled in a way that was vaguely coughy and then said, “I’m not beau—” “You’re like a millennial Natalie Portman. Like Vfor Vendetta Natalie Portman.”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Spotify has reported a surge of interest in audiobook translations of "The Odyssey", with Gen Z and millennials leading the demand.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

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

About three-quarters of new Platinum and Gold cardholders are either millennials or members of Generation Z, according to the company.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

Listening figures on Spotify have risen by about 680% since the film's release on Friday, Variety reported, external - with more than 80% of the listeners being Gen Z or millennials.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

The company updated the brand’s logo and packaging, launched a new marketing campaign targeting millennials and Gen Z consumers and rolled out $1 packs of key donut and cake products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026