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An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints.
Most countries celebrate national anniversaries, typically called national days. These could be the date of independence of the nation or the adoption of a new constitution or form of government. There is no definite method for determining the date of establishment of an institution, and it is generally decided within the institution by convention. The important dates in a sitting monarch's reign may also be commemorated, an event often referred to as a "jubilee".
The Latin phrase dies natalis (literally "birth day") has become a common term, adopted in many languages, especially in intellectual and institutional circles, for the anniversary of the founding ("legal or statutory birth") of an institution, such as an alma mater (college or other school). In ancient Rome, the [dies] Aquilae natalis was the "birthday of the eagle", the anniversary of the official founding of a legion.
Anniversaries of nations are usually marked by the number of years elapsed, expressed with Latin words or Roman numerals.
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Latin terms for anniversaries are mostly straightforward, particularly those relating to the first thirty years (1–30), or multiples of ten years (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 etc.), or multiples of centuries or millenniums (100, 200, 300, 1000, 2000, 3000, etc.). In these instances, the name of the anniversary is generally derived from the Latin word(s) for the respective number of years. When anniversaries relate to fractions of centuries (125, 150, 175, 225, 250, 275 years—i.e. 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2.25, 2.5, and 2.75 centuries), the situation is not as simple.
Roman fractions were based on a duodecimal system. From 1⁄12 to 8⁄12 they were expressed as multiples of twelfths ( uncia "twelfth"; the source of the English words inch and ounce) and from 9⁄12 to 11⁄12 they were expressed as multiple twelfths less than the next whole unit—i.e. a whole unit less 3⁄12, 2⁄12 or 1⁄12 respectively. There were also special terms for quarter ( quadrans ), half ( semis ), and three-quarters ( dodrans ). Dodrans is a Latin contraction of de-quadrans which means "a whole unit less a quarter" (de means "from"; quadrans means "quarter"). Thus for the example of 175 years, the term is a quarter century less than the next whole (bi)century or 175 = (−25 + 200). [1]
In Latin, it seems that this rule did not apply precisely for 1+1⁄2. While secundus is Latin for "second", and bis for "twice", these terms are not used such as in sesqui-secundus. Instead sesqui (or ses) is used by itself.
Anniversary | Latin-derived term | Other terms | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
6 months | Semiannual | 'Biannual' means twice in a year, or a malapropism meaning once every two years ('biennial'). | |
Biannual | |||
1 year | Annual | Paper | |
2 years | Biennial | Cotton | 'Biennial' means once every two years, or a malapropism meaning twice in a year ('biannual'). |
3 years | Triennial | Leather | |
4 years | Quadrennial | Linen | |
5 years | Quinquennial | Wood | |
6 years | Sexennial, Sextennial | Iron | Sexennial and sextennial are two different forms of the same word. |
7 years | Septennial | Wool | |
8 years | Octennial | Bronze | |
9 years | Novennial | Copper | |
10 years | Decennial | Tin Aluminum | |
Denary | |||
11 years | Undecennial | Steel | |
12 years | Duodecennial | Silk | |
121⁄2 years | Parsley | A humorous or mock wedding anniversary celebrated in Germany and the Netherlands where everyone needs to wear something green [ citation needed ] | |
13 years | Tredecennial | Lace | |
14 years | Quattuordecennial | Ivory | |
15 years | Quindecennial | Crystal | |
16 years | Sexdecennial | Sapphire | Sapphire is separately used for other anniversaries |
17 years | Septdecennial | Orchid | |
18 years | Octdecennial | Quartz | |
19 years | Novdecennial | Jade | |
20 years | Vigintennial | China/Porcelain/emerald | |
Vicennial | |||
Vicenary | |||
Bidecennial | |||
25 years | Quadranscentennial | Silver | |
30 years | Tricennial | Pearl | |
Tricenary | |||
35 years | Quintricennial | Coral | |
40 years | Quadragennial | Ruby | |
Quadragenary | |||
45 years | Quinquadragennial | Sapphire | |
50 years | Semicentennial | Golden | Previously, "jubilee" by itself was used to indicate celebrations at 50 year intervals |
Quinquagenary | |||
55 years | Quinquinquagennial | Emerald | |
Quinquinquagenary | |||
60 years | Sexagennial | Diamond | Diamond is separately used for the 75th anniversary, its use for 60th years being popularized by Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria |
Sexagenary | |||
65 years | Quinsexagennial | Sapphire | Sapphire is separately used for other anniversaries |
70 years | Septuagennial | Platinum | |
Septuagenary | |||
75 years | Semisesquicentennial | Diamond | Diamond is separately used for the 60th anniversary. Semisesquicentennial can be broken down to understand its meaning: "semi" - half of + "sesqui" - in the ratio of 3:2 + "centennial" - 100 years. Broken out mathematically, 1/2 * 3/2 * 100 = 75. |
Demisesquicentennial | |||
80 years | Octogintennial | Oak | |
Octogenary | |||
90 years | Nonagintennial | Granite | |
Nonagenary | |||
100 years | Centennial | Obsidian | |
Centenary | |||
125 years | Quasquicentennial | Term is broken down as quasqui- (and a quarter) centennial (100 years). Quasqui is a contraction from quadrans "a quarter" plus the clitic conjunction -que "and". The term was coined by Funk and Wagnalls editor Robert L. Chapman in 1961. [2] | |
150 years | Sesquicentennial | Term broken down as sesqui- (one and a half) centennial (100 years) | |
175 years | Dodransbicentennial | Dodrans is a Latin contraction of de-quadrans which means "a whole unit less a quarter" (de means "from"; quadrans means "quarter"). 175 years is a quarter century less than the next whole (bi)century (175 = 200 − 25). [1] | |
Dodrabicentennial | Alternative Latin form of Dodransbicentennial | ||
Dequasbicentennial | Alternative Latin form of Dodransbicentennial | ||
Dosquicentennial | Dosquicentennial has been used in modern times and this is perhaps a modern contraction of "de-quadrans". [1] | ||
Demisemiseptcentennial | Probably[ attribution needed ] a modern coined term: demisemiseptcentennial; literally one-half (demi-) × one-half (semi-) × seven (sept-) × 100 years (centennial)—also demisemiseptcentenary. [3] [4] | ||
Quartoseptcentennial | Probably[ attribution needed ] a modern coined term: quartoseptcentennial; literally one-quarter (quarto-) × seven (sept-) × 100 years (centennial)—also quartoseptcentenary. [3] | ||
Terquasquicentennial | A coined word for an anniversary of 175 years, but the elements of the word literally refer to an anniversary of 375 years, as follows: ter- (3) × quasqui- (11⁄4) × centennial (100 years) | ||
Septaquintaquinquecentennial | Suggested by lexicographer Robert L. Chapman to William Safire; first appeared in Safire's column, "On Language" (The New York Times Magazine, February 12, 1995). It is a coined word for an anniversary of 175 years, but the elements of the word literally refer to an anniversary of 35,000 years, as follows: septaquinta- (70) × quinque- (5) × centennial (100 years) | ||
200 years | Bicentennial | ||
Bicentenary | |||
225 years | Quasquibicentennial | ||
250 years | Sestercentennial | To express 2+1⁄2 in Latin it would be expressed as "half-three". The term relates to being halfway [from the second] to the third integer. In Latin this is "Sestertius", which is a contraction of semis (halfway) tertius (third)—hence Sestercentennial. [1] | |
Semiquincentennial | Probably[ attribution needed ] a modern coined term: semi- (half) × quin (5) × centennial (100 years) = 250 years. Used by Brown University in 2015. [5] | ||
Bicenquinquagenary | Used by Princeton University in 1996, Reading, Pennsylvania in 1998, and Washington and Lee University in 1999. [6] It is a coined word for an anniversary of 250 years: bi- (2) × cen(t)- (100) + quinquagenary (50 years). | ||
Quarter-millennial | [7] | ||
275 years | Bicenterquasquigenary | ||
300 years | Tercentennial | ||
Tercentenary | |||
Tricentennial | |||
Tricentenary | |||
350 years | Sesquarcentennial | Sesquarcentennial is a modern coined term; sesquarcentennial for 350 years is deduced here from the "Sestertius" definition for 250 years above. For 350 years it relates to being halfway from the third to the fourth integer; thus a contraction of semis (halfway) and quartus (fourth); hence Sesquarcentennial. Semiseptcennial is probably[ attribution needed ] a modern coined term: semi- (half) × sept (7) × cen(t)- (100) × centennial (350 years). | |
Semiseptcentennial | |||
375 years | Terquasquicentennial | ||
400 years | Quadricentennial | ||
Quadricentenary | |||
Quatercentenary | |||
450 years | Sesquincentennial | ||
500 years | Quincentenary | ||
Quincentennial | |||
600 years | Sexacentennial | ||
Sexcentenary | |||
700 years | Septcentennial | Probably[ attribution needed ] a coined term; earliest known use in March 1988. [8] Chiang Mai Septcentennial Stadium (Chiang Mai, Thailand) was completed in 1991. [9] | |
Septuacentennial | |||
800 years | Octocentennial | ||
Octocentenary | |||
900 years | Nonacentennial | ||
1000 years | Millennial | ||
1500 years | Sesquimillennial | Term broken down as sesqui- (one and a half) millennial (1000 years) | |
2000 years | Bimillennial | ||
3000 years | Trimillennial | ||
4000 years | Quadrimillennial | ||
5000 years | Quinmillennial | ||
6000 years | Sexmillennial | ||
7000 years | Septmillennial | ||
8000 years | Octomillennial | ||
9000 years | Novamillennial | ||
10,000 years | Decamillennial | ||
100,000 years | Centamillennial |
Many anniversaries have special names. Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home by Emily Post, published in 1922, contained suggestions for wedding anniversary gifts for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, and 75 years. [10] Wedding anniversary gift suggestions for other years were added in later editions and publications; they now comprise what is referred to as the "traditional" list. Generally speaking, the longer the period, the more precious or durable the material associated with it.
There are variations according to some national traditions. There exist numerous partially overlapping, partially contradictory lists of anniversary gifts (such as wedding stones), separate from the "traditional" names. The concepts of a person's birthday stone and zodiac stone, by contrast, are fixed for life according to the day of the week, month, or astrological sign corresponding to the recipient's birthday.
The English language was introduced to the Americas by the arrival of the British, beginning in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The language also spread to numerous other parts of the world as a result of British trade and settlement and the spread of the former British Empire, which, by 1921, included 470–570 million people, about a quarter of the world's population. In England, Wales, Ireland and especially parts of Scotland there are differing varieties of the English language, so the term 'British English' is an oversimplification. Likewise, spoken American English varies widely across the country. Written forms of British and American English as found in newspapers and textbooks vary little in their essential features, with only occasional noticeable differences.
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase καθόλου 'on the whole, according to the whole, in general', and is a combination of the Greek words κατά 'about' and ὅλος 'whole'. The first known use of "Catholic" was by the church father Saint Ignatius of Antioch in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans. In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages.
The masculine term Latino, along with its feminine form Latina, is a noun and adjective, often used in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, that most commonly refers to United States inhabitants who have cultural ties to Latin America.
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings within a word or in a phrase that is a self-contradiction. As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. A general meaning of "contradiction in terms" is recorded by the 1902 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Pig Latin is a language game, argot, or cant in which words in English are altered, usually by adding a fabricated suffix or by moving the onset or initial consonant or consonant cluster of a word to the end of the word and adding a vocalic syllable to create such a suffix. For example, Wikipedia would become Ikipediaway. The objective is often to conceal the words from others not familiar with the rules. The reference to Latin is a deliberate misnomer; Pig Latin is simply a form of argot or jargon unrelated to Latin, and the name is used for its English connotations as a strange and foreign-sounding language. It is most often used by young children as a fun way to confuse people unfamiliar with Pig Latin.
The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its purpose was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition.
Festivals in ancient Rome were a very important part in Roman religious life during both the Republican and Imperial eras, and one of the primary features of the Roman calendar. Feriae were either public (publicae) or private (privatae). State holidays were celebrated by the Roman people and received public funding. Games (ludi), such as the Ludi Apollinares, were not technically feriae, but the days on which they were celebrated were dies festi, holidays in the modern sense of days off work. Although feriae were paid for by the state, ludi were often funded by wealthy individuals. Feriae privatae were holidays celebrated in honor of private individuals or by families. This article deals only with public holidays, including rites celebrated by the state priests of Rome at temples, as well as celebrations by neighborhoods, families, and friends held simultaneously throughout Rome.
A wedding anniversary is the anniversary of the date that a wedding took place. Couples often mark the occasion by celebrating their relationship, either privately or with a larger party. Special celebrations and gifts are often given for particular anniversary milestones. In some cultures, traditional names exist for milestone anniversaries; for instance, fifty years of marriage may be known variously as a "golden wedding anniversary", "golden anniversary" or "golden wedding".
In Portuguese grammar, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and articles are moderately inflected: there are two genders and two numbers. The case system of the ancestor language, Latin, has been lost, but personal pronouns are still declined with three main types of forms: subject, object of verb, and object of preposition. Most nouns and many adjectives can take diminutive or augmentative derivational suffixes, and most adjectives can take a so-called "superlative" derivational suffix. Adjectives usually follow their respective nouns.
A toast is a ritual during which a drink is taken as an expression of honor or goodwill. The term may be applied to the person or thing so honored, the drink taken, or the verbal expression accompanying the drink. Thus, a person could be "the toast of the evening", for whom someone "proposes a toast" to congratulate and for whom a third person "toasts" in agreement. The ritual forms the basis of the literary and performance genre, of which Mark Twain's "To the Babies" is a well-known example.
Saptapadi or saat phere is regarded to be the most important rite of a Hindu wedding ceremony. In this rite, the bride and the groom tie a knot and take seven steps together, or seven rounds around a sacred fire accompanied by one vow for each step. After the seventh step or circuit is taken, the marriage of the couple is regarded to be complete as per Hindu tradition.
Latin obscenity is the profane, indecent, or impolite vocabulary of Latin, and its uses. Words deemed obscene were described as obsc(a)ena, or improba. Documented obscenities occurred rarely in classical Latin literature, limited to certain types of writing such as epigrams, but they are commonly used in the graffiti written on the walls of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Among the documents of interest in this area is a letter written by Cicero in 45 BC to a friend called Paetus, in which he alludes to a number of obscene words without actually naming them.
Halay is the national dance of Turkey and a regional category of folk dance styles in central, southern, eastern, and southeastern regions of the country. It is mainly performed by Turks and Kurds in Turkey. Halay and similar dances are parts of multiple ancient folk dance traditions and cultures throughout the Middle East and regions in proximity.
David Wedderburn was a writer, and schoolmaster at Aberdeen Grammar School. Though his date of birth is not known, he was baptised on 2 January 1580, and was educated in Aberdeen.
In the Middle Ages, the ban or banality was originally the power to command men in war and evolved into the general authority to order and to punish. As such, it was the basis for the raising of armies and the exercise of justice. The word is of Germanic origin and first appears in fifth-century law codes. Under the Franks it was a royal prerogative, but could be delegated and, from the tenth century, was frequently usurped by lesser nobles.
A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.
In marketing, a corporate anniversary is a celebration of a firm's continued existence after a particular number of years. The celebration is a media event which can help a firm achieve diverse marketing goals, such as promoting its corporate identity, boosting employee morale, building greater investor confidence, and encouraging sales. As a public relations opportunity, it is a way for a firm to tout past accomplishments while strengthening relationships with employees and customers and investors. The duration of the celebration itself can vary considerably, from an hour or day to activities happening throughout the year. Many businesses use an anniversary to express gratitude for past success. Generally, larger corporations have the means to stage more elaborate celebrations.
The Latin numerals are the words used to denote numbers within the Latin language. They are essentially based on their Proto-Indo-European ancestors, and the Latin cardinal numbers are largely sustained in the Romance languages. In Antiquity and during the Middle Ages they were usually represented by Roman numerals in writing.
The United States Semiquincentennial, also called the Bisesquincentennial, the Sestercentennial or the Quarter Millennial, will be the 250th anniversary of the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence. Festivities will be scheduled to mark various events leading up to the anniversary on July 4, 2026.
In the Middle Ages, a casalis or casale, plural casalia, was "a cluster of houses in a rural setting". The word is not classical Latin, but derives from the Latin word casa, meaning "house". The term originated in western Europe and was also employed in the Crusader states. Depending on the situation, the terms feudum, villa and locum suburbanum could by synonyms. The word casale came into use in the eighth century to refer to an isolated rural tenement or demesne.
So the name for a 175th anniversary? For now it is really up to the preference of the reader. One day one of these terms may make its way into popular usage, become accepted, and find a place in a dictionary.
It is our policy to reply as courteously and helpfully as we can to such requests, and I answered Mr. Hatten on August 7, suggesting quasquicentennial. Since this is a history, I shall quote the letter in full: Dr. Wilfred Funk has passed your letter of July I on to us. We are happy to help, if you feel that you really want a new Latinate word meaning "one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary". The best model upon which to form the word is "sesquicentennial", meaning "one hundred and fiftieth anniversary". We need a first element meaning "plus a fourth", analogous with "sesqui" which means "plus a half". "Sesqui" is apparently formed from "semis que", meaning "and a half". Now, both "quarta" and "quadrans" mean "a fourth", so we may begin with either "quarta que" or "quadrans que". The trick is to combine and shorten one of these as "sesqui" was combined and shortened from "semis que". If we follow the model of "sesqui" very closely, retaining the stressed vowel and final "s" of "quadrans", we get the word "quasquicentennial". Combining and shortening in other ways we can also get "quadqui-", "quansqui-", "quarsqui-", and perhaps several others. On the grounds that it is closest to the model and also probably the least ugly of the set, I would choose "quasquicentennial" (pronounced kwahskwee-) as the new word. Of course, you may decide that you do not really want or need a new word. There is no point in proliferating them needlessly. I should add, perhaps, that this word would not appear in any of our dictionaries until it had established itself in wide currency, even if you should decide to use it. I hope we have been able to help you.
The etymology of "demisemiseptcentennial" is compared to "hemidemisemiquaver", a 64th note.
Faster, it seems, than you can say "bicenquinquagenary", Princeton's 250th anniversary has come and gone.