annual

[an-yoo-uh l] /ˈæn yu əl/
adjective
1.
of, for, or pertaining to a year; yearly:
annual salary.
2.
occurring or returning once a year:
an annual celebration.
3.
Botany. living only one growing season, as beans or corn.
4.
performed or executed during a year:
the annual course of the sun.
5.
Entomology. living or lasting but one season or year, as certain insects or colonies of insects.
noun
6.
Botany. a plant living only one year or season.
7.
a book, report, etc., published annually.
Origin
1350-1400; < Late Latin annuālis, equivalent to Latin annu(us) yearly (derivative of annus circuit of the sun, year) + -ālis -al1; replacing Middle English annuel < Anglo-French < Latin
Related forms
annually, adverb
interannual, adjective
interannually, adverb
Can be confused
anal, annual, annul.
annual, perennial.
Examples from the web for annual
  • He was said to be in outstanding physical condition, and like every member of the force, he had to undergo an annual physical.
  • Today it has more than 50000 head of cattle and an annual production of at least 10 million pounds of beef.
  • To bloom, a clivia needs to be on an annual cycle of warm and cool temperatures.
  • This meeting was well attended and indicated clearly that such a meeting should be held annually.
  • My chair writes a lengthy letter after the annual review, every year.
  • For 10000 miles of driving — the annual average for many motorists — gas and oil expense for the compact would be $168.
  • The annual herbs grow easily from seed, which may be sowed any time after the last frost.
  • The corporation makes annual tax-deductible payments to a pension fund for members.
  • This infamous summer annual thrives in warm, moist areas.
  • The possibilities are worth examining, for the spending involved may run as high as 10% of your annual income.
British Dictionary definitions for annual

annual

/ˈænjʊəl/
adjective
1.
occurring, done, etc, once a year or every year; yearly: an annual income
2.
lasting for a year: an annual subscription
noun
3.
a plant that completes its life cycle in less than one year Compare perennial (sense 3), biennial (sense 3)
4.
a book, magazine, etc, published once every year
Derived Forms
annually, adverb
Word Origin
C14: from Late Latin annuālis, from Latin annuus yearly, from annus year
Word Origin and History for annual
adj.

late 14c., from Old French annuel (12c.) or directly from Late Latin annualem (nominative annualis), corresponding to Latin annalis as adjective form of annus "year," from PIE *at-no-, from root *at- "to go," on notion of "period gone through" (cf. Sanskrit atati "goes, wanders," Gothic aþnam (dative plural) "year," Oscan akno- "year, holiday, time of offering"). Used of plants since 1710.

n.

c.1400, originally "service commemorating the anniversary of a person's death," from annual (adj.). By 1824 as short for annual plant.

annual in Science
annual
(ān'y-əl)
Adjective Completing a life cycle in one growing season.

Noun An annual plant. Annuals germinate, blossom, produce seed, and die in one growing season. They are common in environments with short growing seasons. Most desert plants are annuals, germinating and flowering after rainfall. Many common weeds, wild flowers, garden flowers, and vegetables are annuals. Examples of annuals include tomatoes, corn, wheat, sunflowers, petunias, and zinnias. Compare biennial, perennial.