quincentennial

American  

[kwin-sen-ten-ee-uhl] / ˌkwɪn sɛnˈtɛn i əl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or marking a period of 500 years.

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Etymology

Origin of quincentennial

First recorded in 1880–85; quin(que-) + centennial

Explanation

A quincentennial is a 500th anniversary or a celebration of it. The word can also be used to describe anything relating to a 500th anniversary, such as a quincentennial parade or collectible coin. Quin- comes from the Latin quinque, meaning "five." Centennial comes from the Latin cent, meaning "one hundred." And the English suffix ennial means "some amount of years." So put together, quincentennial means "a period of five hundred years." It's most often used for anniversaries, like the founding of a country, for example. (The United States of America won't have its quincentennial until 2276!) Another term for this concept is quincentenary.

Example Sentences

Both have also tackled, in distinct ways, myriad issues around Indigeneity — countering, for instance, the celebratory approach taken by many institutions toward the 1992 quincentennial of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 3, 2023

She’s also organized over 30 exhibitions, including important group shows of contemporary Native American photographers and women artists, and two exhibitions that rebutted the 1992 quincentennial celebrations of Columbus’s arrival in the Americas.

From New York Times • Apr. 20, 2023

Our federal commission on the quincentennial floundered in scandal and ineptitude during the six years John Goudie presided over it.

From Time Magazine Archive

She has been asked for an article on the quincentennial of his first voyage from her people's perspective.

From Time Magazine Archive

In honor of its quincentennial, Oxford has mounted a traveling exhibit of some 250 artifacts and illustrious works from the five centuries.

From Time Magazine Archive