annual
/ˈæn.ju.əl/adjective, noun
annual is spelled A-N-N-U-A-L: 6 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 87 times per million words in written English, the 1,223rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, annual means “Happening once every year” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in annual?
| Letters | 6: A-N-N-U-A-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 87 times per million words; the 1,223rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is annual?
Annual appears 87 times per million words in written English, the 1,223rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce annual?
- UK /ˈæn.ju.əl/
- UK /ˈæn.jəl/
- US /ˈæn.ju.əl/
Annual has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-annual.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with annual?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as annual from its last stressed vowel (/ænjuəl/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of annual
- annuals plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does annual mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Happening once every year.
an annual general meeting; an annual publication
- 2
Of, for, or relating to a whole year, often as a recurring cycle; determined or reckoned by the year; accumulating in the course of a year; performed, executed, or completed over the course of a year. See also circannual.
an annual salary; average annual profits; the annual course of the sun
- 3
Having a life cycle that is completed in only one growing season, e.g., beans, corn, marigold. See Annual plant in Wikipedia. Compare biennial, perennial.
- 4
Living or lasting just one season or year, as certain insects or insect colonies.
noun
- 1
An annual publication; a book, periodical, journal, report, comic book, yearbook, etc., which is published serially once a year, which may or may not be in addition to regular weekly or monthly publication.
I read the magazine, but I usually don't purchase the annuals.
- 2
An annual plant; a plant with a life span of just one growing season; a plant which naturally germinates, flowers and dies in one year. Compare biennial, perennial.
I can't wait to plant my annuals in the spring.
- 3
A medical checkup taking place once a year.
- 4
A pantomime taking place once a year.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate annual?
Wiktionary records 3 abbreviations of annual: Ann, Ann., annl.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Annual in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | annuel |
| German | jährlich |
| Portuguese | anual, ânuo , anuário, anal |
| Spanish | anual, anuo , anuario |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does annual come from?
First attested around 1382, borrowed from Late Latin annuālem, annuālis, related to Latin annālis, adjective form of annus (“year”). Used to categorize plants since 1710.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).