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

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

Etymology

Origin of millennial

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

Example Sentences

In fact, most of millennial feminism was pretty great.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

Later, the "rose gold" variant of the iPhone 6S in 2015, spawned many copycats, surfing a years-long trend dubbed "millennial pink".

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

A 2025 Redfin survey found that almost 13% of millennial and Gen Z recent home buyers sold crypto investments to help fund their down payments.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Despite my penchant for outer space films and my affinity for Gosling’s work, the millennial cringe of it all left a bitter taste in my mouth.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Picture the millennial plane flying west, from the lowlands of the Beni to the heights of the Andes.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann