bicentennial

American  

[bahy-sen-ten-ee-uhl] / ˌbaɪ sɛnˈtɛn i əl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or in honor of a 200th anniversary.

   bicentennial celebration; a bicentennial exposition.

2. consisting of or lasting 200 years.

   a bicentennial period.

3. occurring every 200 years.

   the bicentennial return of a comet.

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noun

1. a 200th anniversary.

   The United States had its bicentennial in 1976.

2. a celebration of such an anniversary.

Commonly Confused

See bi- ¹.

Other Word Forms

• bicentennially adverb

Etymology

Origin of bicentennial

First recorded in 1880–85; bi- ¹ + centennial

Example Sentences

Mr. Sasse, who was 4 at the time of the American bicentennial, hopes to live to see his country’s 250th anniversary on July 4.

From The Wall Street Journal

Fifty years ago, at America’s bicentennial, Martin Diamond, a political scientist, celebrated our founding as “the revolution of sober expectations.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The same day is the bicentennial of the deaths of the two founders most responsible for that great document, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

From The Wall Street Journal

"But the country moved forward, celebrated its bicentennial, and moved beyond its violent divides. It will do so again."

From BBC

The Great America branding, both for the Santa Clara park and its Midwestern counterpart, was a nod to their opening dates: 1976, the nation’s bicentennial.

From Los Angeles Times