millennial

[mi-len-ee-uhl]

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.

noun

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

• millennially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of millennial¹

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

Example Sentences

“I’m a core millennial, and we have the buying power right now,” Ehler said.

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Former state Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon, in his first gubernatorial forum since entering the race in late September, leaned into his experience as the first millennial elected to the state Legislature.

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Texting with GIFs is a very millennial thing to do, which was news to me.

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Calderon, 39, was the first millennial elected to the state Assembly and the youngest-ever majority leader of the state Assembly.

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When millennial parents embraced “gentle parenting,” some wondered if they were being “too gentle.”

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