# What is the word for 250th anniversary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799 "2025-02-03T01:04:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/1 "2025-02-03T01:04:01Z")
In 1876, America celebrated its _centennial_. In 1926, she celebrated a _sesquicentennial_, and in 1976, a _bicentennial_. Is there a commonly accepted word to designate a 250th anniversary, or are we going to be stuck with _fifty years to the tricentennial_? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/2 "2025-02-03T01:07:25Z")
This is an easy one. > [@](#): > > The **United States Semiquincentennial** ,[[a]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Semiquincentennial#cite_note-half-fivename-5)also called the **Bisesquicentennial** , the **Sestercentennial** or the **Quarter Millennial** , will be the 250th [anniversary](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anniversary) of the [United States Declaration of Independence](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence). Festivities will mark various events leading up to the Declaration’s anniversary on [Independence Day](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)), July 4, 2026. > **[United States Semiquincentennial](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Semiquincentennial)** > > The United States Semiquincentennial,\[a\] also called the Bisesquicentennial, the Sestercentennial or the Quarter Millennial, will be the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. Festivities will mark various events leading up to the Declaration's anniversary on Independence Day, July 4, 2026. > The Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, voted for the independence of the United Colonies by passing the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776. The Declaration of Ind... ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/3 "2025-02-03T01:10:35Z")
Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/4 "2025-02-03T04:11:18Z")
If you’d like to see some government usage, take a look at the US Mint site, which they call 250 years _semiquincentennial_. If you remember bicentennial coins, you’ll probably also see semiquincentennial coins. [https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-programs/semiquincentennial/?srsltid=AfmBOoqxJ9mMdBnbKVBp7QcjTtlZO7Ub8i1vOPfHTIrvKxx-UnYbETA4](https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-programs/semiquincentennial/?srsltid=AfmBOoqxJ9mMdBnbKVBp7QcjTtlZO7Ub8i1vOPfHTIrvKxx-UnYbETA4) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/5 "2025-02-03T04:57:30Z")
There’s already [a thread on this](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-2026-what-will-be-your-favorite-term-for-the-250th-anniversary-of-the-us-declaration-of-independence/1012452). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/6 "2025-02-03T06:38:05Z")
Oh. I thought I went insane, for a minute. I knew I remembered it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/7 "2025-02-03T10:34:03Z")
Semiquincentennial, Bisesquicentennial, Sestercentennial, Quarter Millennial — good to know because this year on 10 November will be the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday. Although I don’t think I’ll use any of those terms. It’ll simply be USMC 250. Google searches using each of those terms are unexciting: • [USMC Semiquincentennial](https://is.gd/QR1nH8) • [USMC Bisesquicentennial](https://is.gd/ZDnKrP) • [USMC Sestercentennial](https://is.gd/spbbzm) • [USMC Quarter Millennial](https://is.gd/wMrOOa) And there’s a wiki page for [United States Semiquincentennial](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Semiquincentennial). Why am I not surprised? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/8 "2025-02-03T16:25:41Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Quarter Millennial Yea, Quarter Millennial was the first thing that came to my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/9 "2025-02-03T19:07:57Z")
Can’t we stick to more formal Latin and just call it Semi-D? Or, to fit the zeitgeist, if a mega-corporation copyrighted CCL that could be the core branding element. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/10 "2025-02-03T19:11:34Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Semiquincentennial, Bisesquicentennial, Sestercentennial Now I’m wondering how many points I can get in Scrabble with those words. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/11 "2025-02-03T21:20:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > [@Bullitt](#): > > > > Semiquincentennial, Bisesquicentennial, Sestercentennial > > Now I’m wondering how many points I can get in Scrabble with those words. Those words are quite sesquipedalian. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-250th-anniversary/1013799/12 "2025-02-04T14:20:40Z")
When my home town celebrated its 150th anniversary, they called it the _sesquicentennial_, but that’s off by a century from the question posed by the OP.