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.
Underlying operating margins should see “modest” improvement annually, the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
As that process continues, the spacecraft gradually lose generating capacity, with each probe experiencing a decline of approximately 4 watts annually.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
The measure would raise an estimated $345 million annually.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
It was estimated up to $3.6bn could be raised annually - at the start of the meeting just $10,000 had been pledged.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
Such rejections cost American cattlemen about 3 V2 million dollars annually.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
![]()
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.