premillennarian
|pre-mil-len-na-ri-an|
🇺🇸
/ˌpriːmɪlənˈɛəriən/
🇬🇧
/ˌpriːmɪlənˈeəriən/
before the millennium (thousand-year reign)
Etymology
'premillennarian' originates from Latin and Medieval Latin elements: the prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae-') meaning 'before', combined with 'millennium' (from Latin 'mille' meaning 'thousand' + 'annus' meaning 'year') and the suffix '-arian' (from Latin/Old French) denoting a person or relation.
'premillennarian' developed in English from the formation 'pre-' + 'millennarian' (itself from Medieval Latin formations around 'millennium' and the agent/adjective suffix '-arian'), eventually becoming the modern English term 'premillennarian'.
Initially it referred specifically to belief in a literal thousand-year reign and those who held that doctrine; over time the term has remained largely stable but broadened to describe related theological positions and adjectival uses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who believes in premillennialism — the doctrine that Christ will return before (pre-) the thousand-year reign (the millennium).
He is a premillennarian who expects Christ's return before the millennium.
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Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of premillennialism; expressing the view that Christ will return before the millennium.
The premillennarian interpretation of the passage stresses a literal thousand-year reign.
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Last updated: 2026/01/06 04:14