What term does America250 use for America’s 250th anniversary?

America250 uses the term “semiquincentennial” for America’s 250th anniversary.

The word combines Latin-derived numerical elements: “semi-” means half, while “quincentennial” refers to a 500th anniversary. Half of 500 is 250, making semiquincentennial the precise formal term for the milestone. The anniversary commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The terminology is easy to confuse with better-known anniversary names. A centennial marks 100 years, a bicentennial marks 200, and a sesquicentennial marks 150. The 2026 observance is therefore neither a bicentennial nor a sesquicentennial. America250 is the public-facing identity associated with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, the congressional organization established to plan and promote the commemoration.