Etymograph

English

annual

Annual comes from Middle English annuel, from Late Latin annuālis, from Latin annuus ‘yearly’, from annus ‘year’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEannus1‘year’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEannuus2‘yearly’
  3. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEannuālis3as annuālem‘yearly’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500annuel3
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1919annual3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin annuus
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin annualis
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English annual
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1919, Lionel Carson, The Stage Year Book: “Excellent work has been done by the Playgoers' Club…”.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEannusWiktionary, Latin annuus‘year’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEannuusWiktionary, Latin annualis‘yearly’
  3. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEannuālisWiktionary, English annualas annuālem‘yearly’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500annuelWiktionary, English annual
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1919annualWiktionary, English annual. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1919, Lionel Carson, The Stage Year Book: “Excellent work has been done by the Playgoers' Club…”

first attested First attested around 1382, borrowed from Late Latin annuālem, annuālis, related to Latin annālis, adjective form of annus (“year”) (as stated in Wiktionary’s etymology)

The story

First attested around 1382, borrowed from Late Latin annuālem, annuālis, related to Latin annālis, adjective form of annus (‘year’).

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Latin annus ‘year’

ann, millennium, perennial, millennial, biennial, biennale, annum, 11 more

through Latin annuus ‘annual, yearly’

annuity

Today it means

adj Happening once every year.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “annual”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin annuus, Latin annualis. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin annus / annual

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