Use bicentenary as a noun for the anniversary itself or the events marking it: 'the bicentenary of the battle', 'the bicentenary celebrations'. It is the standard British English term; American English prefers bicentennial.
Use bicentenary as a noun for the anniversary itself or the events marking it: 'the bicentenary of the battle', 'the bicentenary celebrations'. It is the standard British English term; American English prefers bicentennial.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The 150th bicentenary of the city's founding was celebrated last year. | The 150th anniversary of the city's founding was celebrated last year. |
| The bicentenary happens every 200 years. | A bicentenary marks a single 200th anniversary. |
Use bicentenary as an adjective before a noun to describe events, editions, or objects marking the 200th anniversary: 'bicentenary celebrations', 'bicentenary edition', 'bicentenary concert'.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The concert bicentenary will be held in July. | The bicentenary concert will be held in July. |
| It was a bicentenary of the founding. | It was the bicentenary of the founding. |
Bicentenary is the standard British English word; bicentennial is the American form. Both mean the same thing. Choose the form that matches your audience. Both can function as noun and adjective.
Confusing bicentenary and bicentennial as different events — they are the same word in different dialects. Also, the plural is bicentenaries, not bicentenaries's or bicentenary's'.
Formed in English from bi- (Latin 'two') and centenary (from Latin centenarius, from centum 'hundred'). The word follows the same pattern as centenary (100 years) and tercentenary (300 years). Bicentenary is first recorded in British English around 1840; the American form bicentennial followed in 1843.
What does bicentenary mean?
Bicentenary means the 200th anniversary of an event, or the celebrations marking it. For example, 'the bicentenary of the university's founding' means it was established exactly 200 years ago.
What is the difference between bicentenary and bicentennial?
They mean the same thing. Bicentenary is the standard British English word; bicentennial is the American English form. Both refer to a 200th anniversary.
What is the word for a 100th anniversary?
A 100th anniversary is a centenary (British English) or centennial (American English). A 300th anniversary is a tercentenary.
Can bicentenary be used as an adjective?
Yes. Bicentenary can precede a noun: 'bicentenary celebrations', 'bicentenary edition', 'bicentenary concert'.
What is the plural of bicentenary?
The plural is bicentenaries.