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quindecennial

Very rare
UK/ˌkwɪndɪˈsɛnɪəl/US/ˌkwɪndɪˈsɛniəl/

Formal, technical, scholarly

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A period of 15 years; an event occurring every 15 years.

Relating to or marking a 15th anniversary; lasting for or occurring every 15 years.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily used in institutional, historical, or ceremonial contexts. Often interchangeable with "15th anniversary" in non-technical contexts, but implies a more formal, measured recurrence.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant usage difference. The word is equally rare and formal in both varieties.

Connotations

Connotes academic or institutional formality, often in historical, anniversary, or planning contexts.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in both dialects. More likely found in historical texts, university or government planning documents, or formal anniversary announcements than in everyday speech.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
quindecennial celebrationquindecennial anniversaryquindecennial festival
medium
quindecennial reportquindecennial surveyquindecennial reunion
weak
quindecennial eventquindecennial meetingquindecennial review

Grammar

Valency Patterns

The quindecennial of Xto mark the quindecenniala quindecennial event

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Neutral

15-yearfifteenth anniversary

Weak

sesquidecennial (rare)

Vocabulary

Antonyms

centennialdecennialbiennial

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Rare. Possibly in long-term strategic planning or milestone reports.

Academic

Used in historical or institutional studies to describe recurring events or periods.

Everyday

Virtually never used. '15th anniversary' is universal.

Technical

Used in demography, history, or institutional planning to denote a 15-year cycle.

Examples

By Part of Speech

adjective

British English

  • The university issued a quindecennial report on its research impact.
  • Plans for the quindecennial celebrations are underway.

American English

  • The museum's quindecennial exhibition opens next fall.
  • They published a quindecennial review of demographic trends.

Examples

By CEFR Level

B2
  • The society marked its quindecennial with a special conference.
  • "Fifteenth anniversary" is a much more common way to say this.
C1
  • The quindecennial survey revealed significant shifts in public opinion over the 15-year period.
  • Historians study the quindecennial cycles of certain religious festivals in the ancient calendar.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: QUIN (from Latin 'quinque' for five) + DECENNIAL (ten-year period). It's a five-and-ten year period, making 15 years.

Conceptual Metaphor

TIME IS A CYCLE (marked by significant recurring points).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Do not confuse with 'пятнадцатилетний' which is simply the adjective '15-year-old'. 'Quindecennial' specifically relates to anniversaries or recurring cycles, not age.

Common Mistakes

  • Using it to describe a person's age (incorrect: 'He is quindecennial').
  • Confusing it with 'sesquicentennial' (150 years).
  • Misspelling as 'quindecenial' or 'quindecennial'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The institution publishes a major report to assess its long-term goals.
Multiple Choice

What does 'quindecennial' specifically refer to?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is very rare and formal. 'Fifteenth anniversary' is almost always preferred in everyday language.

Yes, primarily as an adjective (e.g., a quindecennial event). It can be a noun meaning 'a 15th anniversary' (e.g., celebrating the quindecennial), but this is even rarer.

From Latin 'quindecim' (fifteen) + 'annus' (year) + the suffix '-ial'.

They refer to different cycles: decennial (10 years), quindecennial (15 years), and centennial (100 years).