Semicentenary

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The fiftieth anniversary of an event, or a span of fifty years marking such a milestone
2. A commemoration falling fifty years after a notable occurrence, or the half-century interval that such a date represents
3. The point or period marking fifty years since something happened, often celebrated with public observances

Etymology: "Semicentenary" is a compound built from "semi-", meaning "half", and "centenary", the word for a hundredth anniversary. Put together, the pieces describe the fiftieth anniversary of an event: half of a centenary, or half of a hundred years. The "centenary" half comes from Latin "centenarius", meaning "consisting of a hundred", which is ultimately from "centum", "hundred". The prefix "semi-" is the Latin word for "half", which English has used freely in compounds for centuries. Because "centenary" was itself already in use for the hundredth anniversary, the new coinage simply halves the interval, so a semicentenary marks fifty years rather than a full century.

Synonyms: semicentennial, golden jubilee