millénaire
/mi.le.nɛʁ/masculine
The English word millennium is translated into French as millénaire.
The term millénaire refers to a general thousand-year period of time.
Meaning: thousand-year period (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use millénaire for the general measurement of a thousand years. The related form millénium is reserved for specific theological contexts, such as the thousand-year reign of Christ in Christianity or for describing a period of universal happiness.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word millénaire is a masculine noun, but it also functions as an adjective meaning 'millennial' or 'pertaining to a millennium'.
How do you pronounce it?
/mi.le.nɛʁ/. The word has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- While English speakers often use 'millennial' to describe a generation of people, using millénaire in French to describe a person would strictly imply they are a thousand years old.
- While millénaire is the standard term, the loanword millénium gained sudden popularity in France during the late 1990s due to the global 'Y2K' obsession and English influence.
- In French, the word millénaire is often used to describe ancient nature, such as un chêne millénaire for a thousand-year-old oak tree, whereas English usually requires the phrase 'thousand-year-old'.
Examples in context
- Cent décennies font un millénaire.A hundred decades make a millennium.This sentence illustrates the relationship between decades and the noun millénaire.Tatoeba #8954156 by Aiji, translation #3934911 by AlanF_US
- Un millénaire comprend dix siècles.A millennium comprises ten centuries.This sentence shows how a millénaire is composed of centuries.Tatoeba #9803510 by lbdx, translation #9211686 by sundown
- Un millénaire consiste en cent décennies.A millennium is made up of a hundred decades.This sentence explains the composition of a millénaire using decades.Tatoeba #8530128 by Aiji, translation #3934916 by AlanF_US
- Le millénaire précédent a été marqué par d'importants bouleversements sociétaux.The previous millennium was marked by significant societal upheavals.
- Nous étudierons l'histoire du deuxième millénaire lors de notre prochain cours.We will study the history of the second millennium during our next class.
- Le deuxième millénaire a été riche en événements historiques marquants.The second millennium was rich in significant historical events.
- L'an mille s'est terminé avec l'arrivée du millénaire suivant, marquant le début de l'ère moderne.The year one thousand ended with the arrival of the next millennium, marking the beginning of the modern era.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing history at a museum.
- HugoCe monument a traversé un millénaire.This monument has survived a millennium.
- ManonC'est vraiment impressionnant, Hugo.It's truly impressive, Hugo.
- HugoIl a vu tant de changements.It has seen so many changes.
- ManonL'histoire est fascinante.History is fascinating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “millennium” translations and entries millénaire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
