quadrennium

American  

[kwo-dren-ee-uhm] / kwɒˈdrɛn i əm /

noun

plural

quadrenniums, quadrennia

1. a period of four years.

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quadrennium British  

/ kwɒˈdrɛnɪəm /

noun

1. a period of four years

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Etymology

Origin of quadrennium

1815–25; < New Latin, alteration of Latin quadriennium, equivalent to quadri- quadri- + -enn-, combining form of annus year ( cf. annual) + -ium -ium

Explanation

High school and college both last for a quadrennium. That's four years' time, even if, to some, it feels more like a millenium, i.e., a thousand. Quadrennium is one of the words that specifically names a period of years––an annum is one year, a decade ten, a century a hundred, and a millennium a thousand. Quad- refers to the number four. In college campus architecture, a quad is a lawn surrounded by ivy-covered brick buildings on four sides.

Example Sentences

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke of New Zealand, who have since won and defended the America’s Cup, clinched the 49er gold with a race to spare to cap a dominating quadrennium.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2021

“The problem was Martha and Bela had retired and we didn’t have anybody pushing us,” he said of the 1997–2000 quadrennium.

From Slate • Aug. 5, 2016

It has been quite a quadrennium: full of personal growth and private anguish, with his father, Rob Daley, dying of a brain tumor in May last year at 40.

From New York Times • Jul. 31, 2012

“It will be great to have them involved in USA Basketball and in the National Team pipeline for our next quadrennium, 2013-16.”

From Washington Post • May 21, 2012

For another quadrennium his hand was on the party throttle.

From The Reign of Andrew Jackson by Ogg, Frederic Austin