▪ I. anniversary, a. and n.
(ænɪˈvɜːsərɪ)
[ad. L. anniversāri-us returning yearly, f. ann-us year + vers-us turned, a turning + -āri-us: see -ary. Cf. advers-ārius, f. advers-us. Used in med.L. subst. as anniversāria (sc. dies), and anniversārium, both ecclesiastical terms, whence also the subst. use is the earliest in Eng. Cf. Fr. anniversaire.]
A. adj.
1. ‘Returning with the revolution of the year; annual; yearly’ (J.); returning or commemorated at the same date in succeeding years.
The word was at first ecclesiastical: ‘Anniversary days were of old those days, wherein the Martyrdoms or Deaths of Saints were celebrated yearly in the Church; or the days whereon, at every years end, Men were wont to pray for the Souls of their deceased Friends, according to the continued Custom of Roman Catholicks.’ Blount Law Dict. 1691.
| 1552 Huloet, Annyuersary, or that which yerlye runneth at one tyme, Anniversarius. 1591 G. Fletcher Russe Commonw. (1836) 113 This day (which they keep anniversarie). 1651 Wittie Primrose's Pop. Err. iv. xvi. 271 Sick of an anniversary disease. 1666 Phil. Trans. I. 110 Of Periodical and Anniversary Winds and their Causes. 1696 J. Aubrey Misc. (1721) 7 On that day Anniversary his Father and Mother died. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 433 ¶4 This Anniversary Carnival lasted a Week. 1858 Card. Wiseman 4 Last Popes 403 Commemorated by anniversary festivities. |
† 2. loosely, Annual, repeated each year. Obs.
| 1653 A. Wilson James I 156 Giving..anniversary stipends for connivency. 1685 Stillingf. Orig. Brit. Pref. 60 Carrying away their anniversary Prey beyond the Seas. 1738 J. Keill Anim. Œcon. Pref. 23 The anniversary Vicissitudes of the Sun. |
† 3. Enduring for or completed in a year. Obs. [So in med.L. anniversārium is used for annāle.]
| 1629 A. Symmer Spir. Posie ii. i. 32 The sunne by his anniversary revolution maketh the day and the yeare. 1660 Burney Kerd. Doron 20 Their applauded Government is like a Turn-coat, and is Anniversary. 1704 Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 410 The anniversary Revolution of the Sun purifies the Air. |
4. [attrib. use of n.] Of or pertaining to the celebration of an anniversary.
| 1654 Gayton in Shaks. Cent. Praise 299 A Goddard or an Anniversary Spice-Bowle. 1883 Chr. World 3 Aug. 515/2 The anniversary services..were held last Sunday. |
B. n. [for anniversary day, service, etc.]
1. The day in any year which agrees in date with a particular day in a former year; hence, the yearly return of any remarkable date, the day on which some event of ecclesiastical, national, or personal interest, is annually celebrated; formerly called year-day, mind-day, mune-day.
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 22 Ine anniuersaries, þet is ine munedawes of ower leoue vreond. 1482 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxlvi. 311 Ones in the yere at his annyuersarye his terement to be holden in the moost honest wyse. 1561 Veron Hunt. Purg. 25 Yeares minds other wyse called anniversaries. 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 157 The day we have appointed, viz. the Anniversary of S. John Baptist beheaded. 1695 Luttrell Brief Rel. III. 460 This being the anniversary of King Williams coronation. 1860 Sat. Rev. No. 249. 136/1 Wear orange ribbons on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. |
2. The celebration which takes place at such annually recurring dates; orig. a mass or religious service in memory of some one on the day of his death, also called ‘year's mind.’
| 1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys of Seyntys 33 That ye for me wil preyn specyally, And therto my annyversarye kepyn yerly. 1539 Bury Wills 138 My executors shall keape an yearelie obite or anniuersarie the space of v yeares. 1580 Baret Alv. A 427 To keepe an aniuersarie or yeares minde, Exequi annua vota. 1637 Heywood R. King ii. iv, This Anniversary doe we yeerely keepe In memory of our late victories. 1883 Chr. World 3 Aug. 515/4 Large collections in connection with Sunday-School anniversaries continue to be reported. |
† 3. R.C. Ch. Sometimes used for the annale or commemorative service performed daily for a year after the death of a person. Obs. See annals 3.
| 1612 Dekker If not Good Wks. 1873 III. 285 Chant Anthems, Aniuersaries, Dirges. 1726 Ayliffe Parerg. 190 An Anniversary..is celebrated not only once, viz., at the end of the year..but ought to be said every day throughout the whole year for the soul of the deceas'd. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Anniversary is more particularly used for the annale, or mass rehearsed daily for the space of a year after a person's death. |
† 4. A magazine or review published annually; an ‘annual.’ Obs. rare.
| 1829 Southey Lett. (1856) IV. 140, I am sorry your anniversary has not answered..and indeed think the plan of a monthly much better than that of a yearly miscellany. |
▪ II. anniversary, v. rare.
(ænɪˈvɜːsərɪ)
[f. prec. n.; cf. to fête.]
To celebrate the anniversary of.
| 1861 Sat. Rev. 23 Nov. 535 The kindred societies which came to be anniversaried on that day at Aylesbury. |