Millennium Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Cultural Significance

• Different cultures celebrate milestones in their histories, with some counting 1,000-year periods as especially significant.
• The turn of the millennium in 2000 was marked by global celebrations, reflecting humanity's shared hopes and fears.
• In some religious contexts, the concept of a 'millennium' is linked to expectations of peace and prosperity.

Technology

• The year 2000 saw major concerns about the Y2K bug, reflecting society's anxiety about technology's role as we entered a new millennium.
• The digital age that blossomed after the year 2000 changed communications, entertainment, and information sharing dramatically.

Psychology

• Psychologists note that events considered 'millennial' can create a sense of urgency or nostalgia among people, influencing behavior.
• The idea of milestones like a millennium can provoke reflection on life achievements and societal progress.

Literature

• Literature often explores themes of time and change across millennia, such as in dystopian works envisioning futures beyond our own.
• The concept of a millennium has inspired various authors, from science fiction predicting life in distant futures to philosophical reflections on humanity’s journey.

Main points about word origin

• The word comes from the Latin 'mille', meaning one thousand, and 'annus', meaning year.
• It was first used in English around the late 17th century, but its modern sense became widespread in the 20th century.
• Before the year 2000, people often discussed the coming millennium, marking a significant cultural moment.

The word 'millennium' originates from the Latin word 'millennium', which is a combination of 'mille' meaning 'thousand' and 'annus' meaning 'year'. Its use dates back to the late 19th century when it began to refer to the culmination of years within a thousand-year period. The concept of a millennium has significant religious, cultural, and historical implications, especially in Christianity where it forebodes a prophesied thousand-year reign. As society approached the year 2000, the term gained widespread popularity, leading to global celebrations that marked the end of the 20th century and the dawn of the 21st century.

Ranked #11,807, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.

• ...
• 11804 shovel
• 11805 momentarily
• 11806 omitting
• 11807 millennium
• 11808 traitor
• 11809 hopper
• 11810 frivolous
• ...