millenarian

[ mil-uh-nair-ee-uhn ]

adjective

1. of or relating to a thousand, especially the thousand years of the prophesied millennium.
2. of or relating to the millennium, especially of Christian prophecy, or millennialism:

   millenarian zeal.

noun

1. a believer in the coming of the millennium.

millenarian

/ ˌmɪlɪˈnɛərɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to a thousand or to a thousand years
2. of or relating to the millennium or millenarianism

noun

1. an adherent of millenarianism

Other Words From

• mil·le·nar·i·an·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of millenarian¹

First recorded in 1545–55; millenary + -an

Example Sentences

Hamas’ delusion is rooted in millenarian fantasy, bolstered by the fervent wish that their fellow jihadists in the region will join the war.

From Slate

The Jehovah's Witnesses are a nontrinitarian millenarian restorationist Christian denomination.

From Reuters

On that morning in Naples, I sensed in the dancing figure of the Chimera an echo, not so much of a millenarian Christian Yeats but of something closer to the earth religions.

From New York Times

In the 1880s a wagon train of Dutch-German Mennonites, burning with millenarian fever, set out to meet Jesus on far side of the Caucasus.

From Los Angeles Times

He truly inhabits the characters, his voice and manner finely tuned to the personality and convictions of each: Goffe, a fanatical, millenarian Puritan; Whalley, more practical and ultimately disillusioned; Nayler, smoothly menacing, but prey to depression.

From Washington Post