What term describes America's 250th-anniversary celebration in 2026?
Answer
Semiquincentennial
America's 250th-anniversary celebration in 2026 is called the Semiquincentennial.
The word combines “semi,” meaning half, with “quincentennial,” meaning a 500th anniversary. A 250-year milestone is therefore half of 500 years. The term is less familiar than “bicentennial,” which describes 200 years, but it is the formal name used for the United States’ 2026 commemoration.
The celebration is also known by several alternative terms, including bisesquicentennial, sestercentennial, and quarter millennium. America250 is the public-facing name used by the national commemorative initiative and its supporting organization.
The anniversary marks the 250th anniversary of the Second Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The central anniversary date is July 4, 2026, Independence Day.