What is the formal anniversary term used for America’s 250th birthday in 2026?
Answer
Semiquincentennial
The formal anniversary term used for America’s 250th birthday in 2026 is semiquincentennial.
The word combines “semi,” meaning half, with “quincentennial,” meaning a 500th anniversary. Half of 500 is 250, so semiquincentennial precisely describes a 250-year anniversary. “Bicentennial” means 200 years, while “tricentennial” means 300 years.
The term is less familiar than “bicentennial,” which became widely known during the United States’ 200th-anniversary celebrations in 1976. Other names have also appeared in historical writing, including sestercentennial and quarter millennium.
America250 is the public-facing name associated with the nationwide commemoration. The formal label helps distinguish the 2026 event from the earlier 1976 Bicentennial and the future 2076 Tricentennial.