anniversary

Everyday

1. An anniversary is the day exactly one or more years after an important event, which people remember or celebrate. tree →
2. A wedding anniversary is the day each year when a married couple remembers their wedding. tree →
3. A sad anniversary is the day remembering a death or disaster. tree →

In the lessons

Families celebrate wedding anniversaries with cards or a meal; schools and towns mark anniversaries of their founding. On the anniversary of a loved one's death, families may visit the grave or light a candle. In maths, counting anniversaries is counting whole years: an event, then its first, second, third anniversary. Phrases: wedding anniversary, silver/golden anniversary, the anniversary of, happy anniversary.

Examples

• It's Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary, so we made them a card. tree →
• Nan and Grandpa had a golden anniversary party for fifty years of marriage. tree →
• The school celebrated the anniversary of its opening. tree →
• On the anniversary of Grandad's death, we visited his grave. tree →
• Happy anniversary! tree →
• The town marked the anniversary of the flood with a minute's silence. tree →
• This is the wofulest anniversary in the whole year. tree →

Note

Countable; plural anniversaries (y → ies). Spelling: double n, -ersary. A birthday is a person's own anniversary of being born, but we just say "birthday". Silver = 25 years, golden = 50 years, diamond = 60 years of marriage.