millennium

[mi-len-ee-uhm]

noun

plural

millenniums, millennia 

1. a period of 1,000 years.

   This great stone monument has seen it all—hardship, plenty, and everything in between—over a millennium and a half.

2. the year 2000, or the turn of the 21st century.

   In 1995, approaching the millennium, the city covered nearly 67,000 acres and had a population of over 1 million.

3. Christianity.,  the millennium, the period of 1,000 years during which Christ will reign on earth, as an interpretation of a vision set forth by the apostle John in the book of Revelation. Also the Millennium

4. a period of general righteousness and happiness, especially in the indefinite future.

5. a thousandth anniversary.

millennium

/ mɪˈlɛnɪəm /

noun

1. Christianity the period of a thousand years of Christ's awaited reign upon earth

2. a period or cycle of one thousand years

3. a time of peace and happiness, esp in the distant future

4. a thousandth anniversary

millennium

1. A period of a thousand years foretold in the Book of Revelation. During the millennium, those who have been faithful to Jesus and who have not worshiped the Antichrist will reign with Jesus over the Earth. According to the Book of Revelation, the millennium will precede the final battle for control of the universe; Judgment Day will come afterward.

Figuratively, a “millennium” is a period of great justice and happiness on Earth.

The meaning of the Bible's (see also Bible) words about the millennium has been much debated by Christians (see also Christian). Prophecies about the millennium are part of the basic doctrine of several denominations, including Jehovah's Witnesses.

Other Word Forms

• millennialist noun
• millennial adjective
• millennially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of millennium¹

First recorded in 1630–40; from New Latin, equivalent to Latin mill(e) “a thousand” + -ennium, extracted from biennium, triennium, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of millennium¹

C17: from New Latin, from Latin mille thousand + annus year; for form, compare _quadrennium

Example Sentences

These layers of ice, compacted over centuries, perhaps millennia, form an archive of climate indicators, yielding data on past snowfall, temperatures, atmosphere and dust.

Read more on Barron's

For millennia, sensational accounts like these were all that was known about these bygone backwaters of the ancient world.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Pieces of pottery and other evidence found inside the sprawling underground tomb revealed that it belonged to Thutmose II, a young pharaoh who died an untimely death more than three millennia ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The early millennia of our species’ history — hundreds of thousands of years — is the subject of “Human,” an exhilarating five-part BBC series premiering Wednesday as part of the PBS series “Nova.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Death - a theme that also features in Dawson's Creek, another popular show from the turn of the millennium - hangs over the second and third series of TSITP.

Read more on BBC