millennium English · revision 809

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɪˈlɛnɪəm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-new|millennium]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) [[af|la|mīlle|annus|t1=thousand|t2=year]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) formed on the model of [[la|biennium|t=two-year period]] and ''triennium''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The thousand-year period during which, according to one reading of Revelation 20:1–5, Christ will reign in person on earth (before 1638).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The theological sense came first; the general meaning, a period of a thousand years, is recorded by 1711, and the word was also used of a thousandth anniversary.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) From 1820 it was used figuratively of a hoped-for period of happiness and good government.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) The meaning “the year 2000” is attested by 1970.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary) The adjective ''millennial'' first referred to the prophesied millennium (1664) and generally to a thousand years from 1807.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1638 – Christ's thousand-year reign.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1664 – ''millennial''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1711 – a period of a thousand years.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1820 – figuratively, a golden age.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1970 – the year 2000.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A span of one thousand years, especially one counted from the beginning of the [[Christian era]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The thousand-year period described in [[Revelation]] 20, during which Christ is to reign on earth.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A hoped-for period of joy, peace, prosperity and justice.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A thousandth [[anniversary]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)^(RHWU)

+ # The point at which one thousand-year period ends and another begins, especially the year 2000.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[millennial]]

+ * [[millennialism]]

+ * [[millennialist]]

+ * [[millennially]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[millenarian]]

+ * [[millenary]]

+ * [[biennial]]

+ * [[annual]]

+ * [[million]]

+ * [[mile]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}