How Do You Spell OCTENNIAL?

Pronunciation: [ɒktˈɛnɪəl] (IPA)

Octennial is spelled "ok-TEN-ee-al" and is pronounced /ɒkˈtɛniəl/. This word is an adjective that describes something that happens every eight years, and the spelling reflects its Latin roots. "Octo" means "eight" in Latin, and the suffix "-ennial" means "years." This term is often used in the context of elections, as some local and state officials are elected on an octennial basis. Understanding the IPA phonetic transcription can help learners of English to properly pronounce and spell complex words like Octennial.

OCTENNIAL Meaning and Definition

1. Octennial is an adjective that describes something occurring every eight years or lasting for a period of eight years. The term is derived from the Latin word octo, meaning "eight," and annus, meaning "year." It pertains to a timeframe, event, or occurrence that repeats or takes place once every eight years.

   In a chronological sense, "octennial" can refer to the interval of time between two events happening eight years apart. For example, it could describe an octennial celebration, which is held once every eight years to commemorate a specific occasion. Additionally, it can describe an octennial meeting or conference that takes place every eight years for a particular purpose or agenda.

   Octennial can also be associated with terms such as octennially and octennially recurring, expressing the regularity of an event taking place on an eight-year cycle. This periodicity distinguishes the term from other time-related intervals, such as annual, biennial, or triennial, which occur yearly, every two years, or every three years, respectively.

   Overall, the adjective octennial signifies the occurrence or duration of a significant event, process, or obligation happening once every eight years. It assists in representing a specific temporal cycle and facilitates the organization and scheduling of periodic activities or observations.

2. Happening every eighth year; lasting eight years.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for OCTENNIAL

• ictennial
• kctennial
• lctennial
• pctennial
• 0ctennial
• 9ctennial
• oxtennial
• ovtennial
• oftennial
• odtennial
• ocrennial
• ocfennial
• ocgennial
• ocyennial
• oc6ennial
• oc5ennial
• octwnnial
• octsnnial
• octdnnial
• octrnnial

Etymology of OCTENNIAL

The word "octennial" originates from the combination of two root words: "octa" and "ennium".

The prefix "octa" comes from the Latin word "octo", meaning eight. This root is shared with numerous other English words, such as "octagon" (a polygon with eight sides) and "octave" (a musical interval consisting of eight notes).

The suffix "ennium" derives from the Latin word "ennius", meaning a period of nine years. This root is also seen in words like "biennium" (a two-year period) and "centennial" (a hundred-year anniversary).

By combining the prefix "octa" with the suffix "ennium", the word "octennial" is formed, indicating a period of eight years.