diamond jubilee: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2-C1Formal, Ceremonial, Historical, Media
Quick answer
What does “diamond jubilee” mean?
The celebration of a 60th anniversary, most famously of a monarch's reign.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The celebration of a 60th anniversary, most famously of a monarch's reign.
A milestone celebrating 60 years of a significant institution, reign, relationship, or business operation; more broadly used to denote a major, impressive anniversary, though strictly a 75th anniversary in some modern contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, it is strongly associated with the monarchy (e.g., Queen Victoria's 1897 Diamond Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II's 2012 Diamond Jubilee). In American English, the association is less automatic and the term can be applied to other institutions (e.g., a company's 60th anniversary).
Connotations
UK: Deeply historical, national celebration, pageantry. US: Formal/impressive milestone, corporate or organizational anniversary.
Frequency
Much more frequent in UK English due to its specific royal usage.
Grammar
How to Use “diamond jubilee” in a Sentence
to celebrate a/the diamond jubileethe diamond jubilee of [monarch/institution]mark [possessive] diamond jubilee with [event]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “diamond jubilee” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The nation will jubilantly diamond-jubilee?* (Not used as a verb.)
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The Diamond Jubilee celebrations attracted millions.
- The jubilee year was filled with events.
American English
- The museum's diamond-jubilee exhibit opens next week.
- They hosted a diamond jubilee gala.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
We are planning a gala to mark the company's diamond jubilee next fall.
Academic
The Victorian era's sense of imperial confidence was epitomized by the pageantry of the 1897 Diamond Jubilee.
Everyday
My grandparents are celebrating their diamond jubilee—60 years of marriage!
Technical
(Historiography) The Diamond Jubilee serves as a useful chronological marker for assessing late Victorian colonial policy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “diamond jubilee”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “diamond jubilee”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “diamond jubilee”
- Using 'diamond jubilee' for a 50th anniversary (which is 'golden jubilee').
- Omitting the capital letters when referring to a specific royal event (e.g., 'The Diamond Jubilee').
- Pronouncing 'jubilee' with stress on the second syllable (/dʒuːbɪˈliː/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is capitalized when referring to a specific, named event (e.g., The Queen's Diamond Jubilee). When used generically (e.g., 'a diamond jubilee'), it is often lowercased.
Yes, a 60th wedding anniversary is commonly called a diamond jubilee or diamond anniversary.
For British monarchs, the next milestone is the Platinum Jubilee (70 years), followed by the unprecedented Sapphire Jubilee (65 years for Elizabeth II) and then a hypothetical 75th anniversary.
'Anniversary' is the general term for the yearly recurrence of a date. 'Jubilee' specifically denotes a special anniversary of an event, often one marked by public celebration, and is typically used for larger, institutional milestones (reigns, founding of organizations).
The celebration of a 60th anniversary, most famously of a monarch's reign.
Diamond jubilee is usually formal, ceremonial, historical, media in register.
Diamond jubilee: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdaɪəmənd ˈdʒuːbɪliː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdaɪmənd ˈdʒuːbɪli/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A diamond is one of the hardest substances, symbolizing the strength and endurance required for 60 years.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A PRECIOUS MATERIAL / ACHIEVEMENT IS A JEWEL.
Practice
Quiz
What is the traditional anniversary associated with a 'diamond jubilee'?