millennial

1 of 2

adjective

mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl 

1

: of or relating to a millennium

This geopolitical specification of the millennium—this identification of the New Jerusalem with a particular place and people—was rare, even in a time of millennial fervor.

—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

2

: of, relating to , or belonging to the generation of people born in the 1980s or 1990s : of or relating to millennials

More than 60% of millennial voters support the birth control mandate.

—Katie McDonough

millennial

2 of 2

noun

: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s

—usually plural

Examples of millennial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The relationship between legendary comedienne Deborah Vance and millennial writer Ava Daniels has gone through ups, downs, fantastic successes, and nightmarish lawsuits. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 28 Mar. 2026

As a millennial Jewish woman who supports progressive candidates, this attitude feels stale and disconnected from the current political moment. —Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Noun

And although the younger cohort was giving its purchases a fair amount of thought, the survey, which recorded responses from 1,000 shoppers across the US, also found that both Gen Z and millennials are 50% more likely to spend more in the future versus older generations. —Jeena Sharma, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026

Younger audiences, especially millennials and Gen Z, who are fueling the growth of sound healing, are looking for ways to connect with other people that don’t involve extra late nights and copious amounts of substances. —Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1991, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing millennial

• multi-millennial

Rhymes for millennial

• biennial
• centennial
• decennial
• perennial
• quadrennial
• quinquennial
• triennial
• bicentennial
• sesquicentennial

Kids Definition

millennial

1 of 2 adjective

mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl 

: of or relating to a millennium

millennial

2 of 2 noun

: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s

—usually used in plural