vicennial

V4I1C3E1N1N1I1A1L1

adjective

Occurring once every twenty years.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

adjectivevicennial (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOccurring once every twenty years.
  2. not comparableLasting for twenty years.
nounvicennial (plural vicennials)

plural vicennials

  1. A twenty-year period

    The maps are presented at 20-year intervals (vicennials) because of the nature of the data, particularly for years prior to 1960 when estimation procedures were not nearly as developed as today.

    2022, Ira M. Sheskin, et al, “United States Jewish Population 2020”, in American Jewish Year Book 2020, page 176
  2. A twentieth anniversary, particularly

    Among the well established anniversaries celebrated by Chautauqua classes from year to year are the vicennials. A strong sense of comradeship is developed among members who come to Chautauqua twenty years after graduation...

    1909 June, John H. Vincent & al., "'89's Vicennial", The Chautauquan, Vol. 55, No. 1, p. 130
    1. historicalSynonym of vicennalia, the festival and religious ritual held in the 20th year of a Roman emperor's reign.

      Roman coins mentioning the vota publica for Macrinus are RIC IV.1 5–13; on vota publica for the decennials and vicennials of emperors in the 2nd and 3rd c. ad, see Chastagnol 1984.

      2022, Martin Hallmannsecker, Roman Ionia..., p. 110
      1 more example

      The feast of Constantine's vicennials fell on the 25th of July this year: it was the commencement of the twentieth year of his reign. It is supposed, that to avoid interrupting affairs or greater moment, this ceremony was deferred till the end of the council, which broke up the 25th of August.

      1776, Charles le Beau, The History of Constantine the Great, page 267

      Synonyms: vicennalia

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of vicennalia, the festival and religious ritual held in the 20th year of a Roman emperor's reign.

Similar

Origin

  1. Latinvīcenniālis
  2. Englishvicennial

From vicennium + -al or directly from Latin vīcenniālis, from vīcennium (“20-year span”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjective-forming suffix), from vīcennis (“20-year”) + -ium (“-ium”, suffix forming abstract nouns), from vīciēs (“20 times”) + annus (“year”) + -is (suffix forming compound adjectives). Equivalent to vice- (“twenty”) + -ennial.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French vicennal, vingtenaire
  • vicennalTranslations
  • vingtenairetwentieth anniversary
Italian vicennale, ventenario
  • vicennaleTranslations
  • ventenariotwentieth anniversary
Latin vicennialis
  • vicennialisTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

vicennial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicennial

MLA

“vicennial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicennial. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vicennial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vicennial.

Source: vicennial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.