Y2K

[ wahy-too-key ]

abbreviation for

1. the year 2000.
2. Also called millennium bug ( ), a bug that could cause computers or software to misinterpret a year after 1999 as having the first two digits 19 instead of 20, due to the coding of dates using only the last two digits of the four-digit year.

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the late 1990s and early 2000s:

   The outfit merges Y2K aesthetics with contemporary trends.

Y2K

noun

1. another name for the year 2000 ad (esp referring to the millennium bug)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Y2K¹

First recorded in 1995–2000; Y(ear) + 2 + K symbol for the number 1000

Word History and Origins

Origin of Y2K¹

C20: y ( ear ) + 2 + k (in the sense: thousand)

Example Sentences

He delivered the most famous line in that series when he showed up wearing a tie headband and face paint during a Y2K meltdown and shouted, “Follow me, follow me to freedom!”

From Los Angeles Times

Over the past two decades, Alba has starred in a myriad of projects, including the films “Fantastic Four,” and Y2K classic, “Honey,” as well as the TV series “Dark Angel.”

From Los Angeles Times

One of the most plaintive refrains of the Y2K era was sung by Mark Hoppus of Blink-182: “Well, I guess this is growing up.”

From Los Angeles Times

He also produced her most recent single, “Gimme A Light,” which will be featured on “Y2K.”

From Seattle Times

When this show debuted in the U.K. in 1999 on the cusp of Y2K, jaws dropped.

From Los Angeles Times