What is the standard term for the 250th anniversary celebrated by America250?

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The standard term for the 250th anniversary celebrated by America250 is semiquincentennial.

The word combines Latin-derived and Greek-derived elements associated with half of five hundred, producing the meaning “250th anniversary.” It is the formal name used for the United States’ 2026 commemoration. The event is also described as the country’s quarter-millennium anniversary.

The term can be confused with bicentennial, which means 200th anniversary, or sesquicentennial, which means 150th anniversary. Tricentennial refers to a 300th anniversary and therefore belongs to the year 2076 for the United States.

Other alternatives have appeared in public discussion, including sestercentennial and bisesquicentennial. Semiquincentennial is the most prominent official term because it appears in the name of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission and related federal planning. America250 is the shorter public-facing brand for the observance.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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