millennium

Everyday

1. A millennium is a period of a thousand years. tree →
2. «The millennium» often means the moment when a new thousand years starts in the calendar, celebrated with big parties and fireworks. tree →
3. (Bible, church) The Millennium is a thousand-year reign of Christ described in the Book of Revelation, which Christians understand in different ways. tree →

In the lessons

In maths and history lessons, pupils learn time words: a decade is 10 years, a century is 100 years, and a millennium is 1,000 years; timelines may show several millennia. In science, «over millennia» means over many thousands of years, as rivers carve valleys. Phrases: «a new millennium», «for millennia», «the turn of the millennium».

Examples

• A millennium is a thousand years. tree →
• Ten centuries make a millennium. tree →
• The pyramids have stood for several millennia. tree →
• People celebrated the new millennium with fireworks. tree →
• Rivers shape valleys over millennia. tree →
• How many decades are in a millennium? One hundred. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: double l and double n: millennium. Plural: millennia (more common) or millenniums. In maths: 1 millennium = 10 centuries = 100 decades = 1,000 years. «Millennial» as a noun means a person born around the end of the last millennium.