annual

[ an-yoo-uhl ]

adjective

1. of, for, or pertaining to a year; yearly:

   annual salary.

2. occurring or returning once a year:

   an annual celebration.

3. Botany. living only one growing season, as beans or corn.
4. performed or executed during a year:

   the annual course of the sun.

5. Entomology. living or lasting but one season or year, as certain insects or colonies of insects.

noun

1. Botany. a plant living only one year or season.
2. a book, report, etc., published annually.

annual

/ ˈænjʊəl /

adjective

1. occurring, done, etc, once a year or every year; yearly

   an annual income

2. lasting for a year

   an annual subscription

noun

1. a plant that completes its life cycle in less than one year Compare perennial biennial
2. a book, magazine, etc, published once every year

annual

/ ăn′yo̅o̅-əl /

Adjective

1. Completing a life cycle in one growing season.

Noun

1. An annual plant. Annuals germinate, blossom, produce seed, and die in one growing season. They are common in environments with short growing seasons. Most desert plants are annuals, germinating and flowering after rainfall. Many common weeds, wild flowers, garden flowers, and vegetables are annuals. Examples of annuals include tomatoes, corn, wheat, sunflowers, petunias, and zinnias.
2. Compare biennial

Derived Forms

• ˈannually, adverb

Other Words From

• annu·al·ly adverb
• inter·annu·al adjective
• inter·annu·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of annual¹

1350–1400; < Late Latin annuālis, equivalent to Latin annu ( us ) yearly (derivative of annus circuit of the sun, year) + -ālis -al ¹; replacing Middle English annuel < Anglo-French < Latin

Word History and Origins

Origin of annual¹

C14: from Late Latin annuālis, from Latin annuus yearly, from annus year

Related Words

• yearlong