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sesquicentennial

American  
[ses-kwi-sen-ten-ee-uhl] / ˌsɛs kwɪ sɛnˈtɛn i əl /

adjective

  1. pertaining to or marking the completion of a period of 150 years.


noun

  1. a 150th anniversary or its celebration.

sesquicentennial British  
/ ˌsɛskwɪsɛnˈtɛnɪəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a period of 150 years

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a period or cycle of 150 years

  2. a 150th anniversary or its celebration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of sesquicentennial

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; sesqui- + centennial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The sesquicentennial of MLB’s first game comes on the heels of several rule changes designed to address the sport’s glacial pace.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 21, 2026

It’s the sesquicentennial of Western Australia, and everyone on Tony and Judy’s cul de sac is excited.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 2, 2024

You could see this at the Sievierodonetsk library, where last year they celebrated the sesquicentennial of Lesya Ukrainka, Ukraine’s great modernist poet and playwright.

From Seattle Times Dec. 28, 2022

Upcoming “celebration nights” recognize Ireland and Israel, Filipino and Hispanic heritages, and the sesquicentennial of baseball in Japan.

From Washington Post Aug. 4, 2022

In the fall of that year minor repairs were made to the locomotive so that it might be used in the sesquicentennial celebration at Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

From The 'Pioneer': Light Passenger Locomotive of 1851 United States Bulletin 240, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, paper 42, 1964 by John H. White

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