annual
AN-yoo-uhl
Annual (adj) means happening once every year. Example: “Our annual picnic by the lake is always a lot of fun.”
adj
1
Happening once every year.
"Our annual picnic by the lake is always a lot of fun."
"The company holds its annual conference every March."
"She looks forward to her annual trip to visit family abroad."
2
Relating to a plant that completes its whole life cycle — growing, flowering, and dying — within a single year.
"Sunflowers are annual plants, so you must sow new seeds each spring."
"Because the plant is annual, it dies after producing its seeds."
"Marigolds are popular annual flowers for garden borders."
noun
1
A book, report, or publication that comes out once a year.
"The school's annual lists every club and the results of each team."
"My aunt always gave me a football annual at Christmas."
"He collected every comic book annual as a kid."
How to use annual
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that happens, or is published, once every year.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with biennial (every two years) or perennial (a plant that lives for many years).
Easily confused with
Common pairings
annual report
annual event
annual salary
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like annual.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- annuals
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Our _____ picnic by the lake is always a lot of fun.
Etymology
From Late Latin annualis, based on Latin annus, "year."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for annual
See all rhymes for annual →Frequently asked questions
What does “annual” mean?
The word “annual” means happening once every year. In plain terms, something that happens, or is published, once every year.
How do you pronounce “annual”?
“Annual” is pronounced AN-yoo-uhl (/ˈæn.ju.əl/ in IPA).
How do you use “annual” in a sentence?
Here is “annual” used in a sentence: “The company holds its annual conference every March.”
What part of speech is “annual”?
Depending on how it is used, “annual” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “annual” come from?
The word “annual” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin annualis, based on Latin annus, "year.".
Is “annual” a common word?
“Annual” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “annual” have?
“Annual” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: happening once every year.
What is the difference between annual and biennial?
Annual means happening once every year, or, for a plant, completing its whole life cycle within a single year. Biennial means happening every two years, or a plant that takes two years to grow, flower and die. The key is the interval: one year for annual, two years for biennial.
What is the difference between annual and perennial?
In gardening, an annual plant lives for just one growing season and must be replanted, while a perennial survives for many years, dying back and regrowing each season. More generally, 'perennial' also means constant or endlessly recurring, as in 'a perennial problem', whereas 'annual' fixes an event to once a year.
What is the difference between annual and biannual?
'Annual' clearly means once a year. 'Biannual' is famously ambiguous: it can mean twice a year or once every two years, so people often avoid it. If you mean twice a year, 'semi-annual' is clearer; for every two years, 'biennial' removes the confusion entirely.
What is an example of 'annual'?
Common examples include an annual report, published once a year; annual leave, the yearly holiday allowance from work; an annual checkup with a doctor; and annual rainfall, the total measured over a year. In each case the event or figure recurs on a yearly cycle.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include annual:
