semiquincentennial

American  

[sem-ee-kwin-sen-ten-ee-uhl, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˌkwɪn sɛnˈtɛn i əl, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

noun

1. a 250th anniversary or its celebration.

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adjective

1. relating to a 250th anniversary or its celebration.

2. lasting or having lasted 250 years; 250 years old.

Explanation

Semiquincentennial is a very long word for a very big anniversary — 2026 is the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of the United States. Semiquincentennial derives from the Latin words semi, "half," quinque, "five," and centum, "one hundred." You don't need this word very often, since it's rare that a country, building, or organization marks its 250th anniversary, but when you do, it's a big deal. The British Parliament celebrated its semiquincentennial in 1957, and the Taj Mahal was built in 1648, which means its semiquincentennial happened back in 1898.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

semiquincentennial

The choreographer marked the nation’s semiquincentennial and his troupe’s 45th anniversary with a program at the Joyce Theater of repertory classics and a New York premiere all centered on American music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Freedom 250 is a Trump administration initiative to promote the country’s semiquincentennial.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

Two-and-a-half centuries after adopting the Declaration of Independence, America is marking its semiquincentennial with a coast-to-coast spectacle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

Released 45 years ago this month, the anniversary of “Blow Out” coincides with a much less celebratory event: America’s semiquincentennial — or the country’s 250th birthday, if, like me, you’re easily confused by numerical multipliers.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

If American music in 1976 represented a collective, inquisitive, inventive American spirit of discovery, the semiquincentennial in the age of social media has become more about the individual identity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026