Millennium

The AHD states that the noun millennium is "a span of one thousand years," "a thousandth anniversary," and also "a hoped-for period of joy, prosperity, and justice." The first two are more familiar to me than the last definition. In fact, I've never heard millennium in that sense before. The etymological history of the word rests with the New Latin word mille, meaning thousand, and annus, meaning year. Simple and uncomplicated, this word has a certain vibe too it and the way it sounds to me is melodious and fairly calming.