Quadrennially

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Taking place once every four years for certain events or periods
2. Occurring at intervals of four years to signify specific occurrences or celebrations
3. Happening every four years to mark particular events or milestones in various contexts

Etymology: "Quadrennially" is simply "quadrennial" with the adverbial ending "-ly" added, so the adverb inherits its whole meaning from the adjective. The adjective is built from Latin "quadriennium," a period of four years, combining "quadri-" (four) with "annus" (year). Its parts are therefore transparent: "quadri-" from a Latin root meaning four, which also appears in words like "quadrant" and "quadruple," and "-ennial," from "annus," the same root behind "annual" and "annals." The base word is the more useful one to know. "Quadrennial" describes something that happens every four years or lasts four years, while the adverb describes how often an event occurs: the Olympic Games, for instance, were once held quadrennially. Because the adjective already carries the sense of a four-year cycle, the adverb needs no further explanation beyond the suffix that turns it from a description of a thing into a description of an action.

Synonyms: every four years, four-yearly, quadrennial