Quinquennial
/kwɪnˈkwɛn.i.əl/noun
Occurring once every five years or lasting for five years.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor combines quinque, “five,” with annus, “year”; the same Indo-European number-root also gave English five and Greek-derived pentagon.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pénkʷe
“Five; the reconstructed ancestral number-root behind many Indo-European words for five.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
pénte
“Five; the source of English compounds such as pentagon.”
Classical Latin
Latin
quinque
“Five.”
Classical Latin
Latin
quinquennis
“Lasting five years; occurring every five years, from quinque, “five,” and annus, “year.””
17th Century
English
quinquennial
“Occurring every five years or lasting five years; formed in English from Latin quinquennis with the suffix -al.”
Modern English
English
quinquennial
“Relating to, occurring every five years, or lasting five years.”