millennialist
|mil-len-ni-al-ist|
/ˌmɪlɛnɪˈælɪst/
believer in a coming millennium or radical new age
Etymology
'millennialist' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from 'millennial' + the suffix '-ist', where 'millennial' ultimately derives from the Latin word 'millennium' and 'millennium' comes from Latin 'mille' meaning 'thousand' and 'annus' meaning 'year', while the suffix '-ist' denotes 'one who believes in or practices'.
'millennialist' developed by adding the agentive suffix '-ist' to 'millennial' (attested in English from the 17th–19th centuries), and 'millennial' itself comes via Medieval/Modern Latin 'millennium' (literally 'thousand-year') from Latin 'mille' + 'annus'.
Initially used specifically for adherents of the Christian doctrine of a literal thousand-year reign, the term later broadened to include anyone expecting an imminent transformative age or utopian future.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who believes in millennialism—the religious doctrine that a coming thousand-year (1000-year) reign or age will be established, often associated with Christ's earthly reign.
The rural congregation included a vocal millennialist who insisted the prophecy would soon be fulfilled.
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Noun 2
a person (religious or secular) who expects a imminent and transformative new era—sometimes used more broadly for those anticipating radical societal change rather than strictly a literal 1000-year reign.
Some modern millennialists predict that technological breakthroughs will trigger a utopian age.
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Last updated: 2026/01/06 05:16