anniversary

noun

an·​ni·​ver·​sa·​ry ˌa-nə-ˈvərs-rē 

-ˈvər-sə-

plural anniversaries

1

: the annual recurrence of a date marking a notable event

a wedding anniversary

broadly : a date that follows such an event by a specified period of time measured in units other than years

the 6-month anniversary of the accident

2

: the celebration of an anniversary

Examples of anniversary in a Sentence

the anniversary of the invasion

The exhibit will close on the 100th anniversary of the artist's death.

Recent Examples on the Web

As Jordan Brand caps off an award-winning 40th anniversary year, there aren’t many stones left unturned in its expansive retro archive. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 10 Dec. 2025

Now with a new preface for its 65th anniversary, Jaffe’s classic shows how women in the workplace navigated the era’s social and political ladders. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025

Juan Antonio Nevarez-Porras, 40, a foreman for Renegade Construction since 2016, was traveling with his 16-year-old son, Jonathan, to Nashville, Tennessee, to visit family and attend the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, his family said. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025

The show celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022. —Kaycee Sloan, Freep.com, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English anniversarie, from Medieval Latin anniversarium, from Latin, neuter of anniversarius returning annually, from annus year + versus, past participle of vertere to turn — more at annual, worth

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for anniversary

• bursary
• cursory
• nursery

Kids Definition

anniversary

noun

an·​ni·​ver·​sa·​ry ˌan-ə-ˈvərs-(ə-)rē 

plural anniversaries

1

a

: the annual return of the date of a special event

b

: a date that follows such an event by a specified period of time

the 6-month anniversary of the accident

2

: the celebration of an anniversary

Etymology

Middle English anniversarie "anniversary," from Latin anniversarium (same meaning), literally "turning of the year," from annus "year" and versus "turned," from vertere "to turn" — related to converse, universe, versatile