lustrum
- noun
- /ˈlʌstrəm/
- Archaic
- Five years or half a decade is a lustrum.
Examples
-
Well, I've been doing that for ten lustrums.
-
The professor explained that a lustrum is equivalent to five years, particularly when discussing historical events.
-
Probably got another lustrum in me.
-
You have been in the service of this court for almost two lustrums.
-
In ancient Rome, each five-year period known as a lustrum was marked by significant societal changes.
-
Many people set long-term goals to be achieved every five years, often referring to each period as a lustrum.
How Long
Surface Forms
Etymology
Lustrum also came to mean a period of 'five years' because that cleansing ceremony was done every five years, so people began to use the same word for the time between those ceremonies.