sexennial: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
rareformal, academic, technical
Quick answer
What does “sexennial” mean?
Occurring every six years.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Occurring every six years; lasting for six years.
Pertaining to a period of six years, often used in formal contexts such as events, cycles, or institutional reviews.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage; both varieties use it similarly in formal contexts.
Connotations
Neutral, with no strong emotional or cultural connotations in either variety.
Frequency
Equally uncommon in both British and American English, primarily found in specialized texts.
Grammar
How to Use “sexennial” in a Sentence
adjective + noun (e.g., sexennial festival)used attributively in noun phrasesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sexennial” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sexennial exhibition at the museum draws large crowds.
American English
- The university holds a sexennial accreditation review.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in corporate contexts for periodic reviews or audits, e.g., 'the sexennial financial assessment'.
Academic
Common in historical, scientific, or sociological studies referring to six-year cycles, e.g., 'sexennial population surveys'.
Everyday
Rarely used in casual conversation; may appear in formal announcements or calendars.
Technical
Applied in fields like agriculture, geology, or climatology to describe six-year phenomena or data cycles.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sexennial”
- Confusing with 'decennial' (ten-year) or 'biennial' (two-year); mispronouncing as /sɛksˈjuːniəl/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a formal or technical term rarely used in casual conversation, more common in academic or institutional contexts.
Yes, it can refer to an event or period occurring every six years, though it is primarily used as an adjective.
In British English, it is /sɛkˈsɛnɪəl/, and in American English, /sɛkˈsɛniəl/, with stress on the second syllable.
It is often found in history, science, business, and technical disciplines to describe six-year cycles or events.
Occurring every six years.
Sexennial is usually formal, academic, technical in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'sex-' from Latin for 'six' and '-ennial' from 'annual', so it means 'six-yearly'.
Conceptual Metaphor
Time as a measurable cycle; repetition and regularity over fixed intervals.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'sexennial'?