On discovering under-used words

Reading old scientifical papers is hardgoing, but occasionally it makes up for it by throwing me a delightful new word..

 

 

Any guesses what “quinquennium” means?

 

 

 

 

no?

 

 

I had no idea, but it was too good not to look up…

 

 

 

 

Turns out it’s a period of 5 years (or a 200th of a millenium :))

According to Wiktionary.org you can also say quinquenniad orΒ quintennium.

The plural is quinquennia or quinquenniums

 

Related terms:

  • (adj.): quinquennial, quintennial
  • (4-year period): quadrennium
  • (6-year period): sexennium

 

Isn’t language awesome?! πŸ™‚

0 thoughts on “On discovering under-used words

  1. A fun word indeed…perhaps it can also represent a time to stop and reflect on one’s successes…much less intimidating than doing so every decade!

    1. Yes… perhaps – I think I (maybe we all) would be better off remembering my (our) successes more often still – in the hope that it might make me (us) feel a little bit less hopeless!

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