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.
Two years ago, five Americans were nominated for the female Ballon d’Or, which is presented annually to the best player in the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
It was estimated that the measures would stop 4,500 premature deaths annually.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
The benefit is fairly modest, averaging about $9,000 per child annually, in a country where childcare costs can exceed $30,000 a year.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
DirecTV, which carried Sunday Ticket through 2022, paid an average of about $1.5 billion annually.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
Most of New Guinea receives over 100 inches of rain annually, and much of the highlands receives over 200 inches, while most of Australia receives less than 20 inches.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
