anniversary
nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˌanɪˈvəːs(ə)ɹi//
- Canada//ˌænɪˈvɝs(ə)ɹi//
- Canada//ˌænəˈvɝs(ə)ɹi//
- Australia//ˌænɪˈvɜːs(ə)ɹi//
A day that is an exact number of years (to the day) since a given significant event occurred. Often preceded by an ordinal number indicating the number of years.
noun
- 1
A day that is an exact number of years (to the day) since a given significant event occurred. Often preceded by an ordinal number indicating the number of years.
Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the war.
To some extent all anniversaries derive their significance from testing, from contemplating this observation, especially when it concerns cultures as radically different as those of Aboriginal Australia before first contact (and since), and of Georgian England.
As we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we must seize this moment to build a genuine culture of free expression for all.
- 2
A day that is an exact number of years (to the day) since a given significant event occurred. Often preceded by an ordinal number indicating the number of years. Such a day that commemorates a wedding.
We are celebrating our tenth anniversary today.
- 3
A day subsequent in time to a given event by some significant period other than a year (especially as prefixed by the amount of time in question).
The occasion was the six-month anniversary of the Aug. 8 coup that brought General Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores to power.
In a thinly veiled threat to Saddam Hussein, President George Bush marked the six-month anniversary of September 11th by reiterating America's commitment to prevent rogue countries obtaining weapons of mass destruction.
Jonathon proposed to his [Jess's] mom on their three-month anniversary of meeting and married her on their fourth.
Etymology
From Middle English anniversary, from Medieval Latin anniversāria (diēs), anniversārium, from anniversārius (“yearly”), from annus (“year”) + versus, past participle of vertere (“to turn”).
Forms
- plural
- anniversaries
anniversary · A day that is an exact number of years (to the day) since a given significant event occurred. Often preceded by an ordinal number indicating the…
announce · To give public notice of, especially for the first time; to…announced · Having been preceded by an announcement; declared.announcement · An act of announcing, or giving notice.