antemillennial
|an-te-mil-len-ni-al|
/ˌæn.tiˌmɪˈlɛn.i.əl/
before the thousand-year reign
Etymology
'antemillennial' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'ante' (from Latin 'ante') and the element 'millennial' (from Latin 'mille' + 'annus'), where 'ante-' meant 'before' and 'mille' meant 'thousand' (with 'annus' meaning 'year').
'antemillennial' developed from the combination of Latin 'ante' + Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'millennialis' and entered English usage by formation from these elements, eventually becoming the modern English adjective 'antemillennial'.
Initially it literally conveyed the sense 'before the thousand-year period'; over time it came to be used specifically for the theological/doctrinal sense 'relating to the belief that Christ will return before the millennium'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who holds or advocates antemillennial beliefs (see antemillennialism).
She identified as an antemillennial within the theological debate.
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Adjective 1
relating to or denoting the belief that Christ will return before the thousand-year reign (the millennium); equivalent to premillennial.
His antemillennial views shaped the congregation's eschatology.
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Last updated: 2025/08/22 05:52