Relating to or occurring once every ten years, or lasting for a period of ten years.
From Latin 'decennium' and Greek 'deca-' (ten) + '-al' (suffix indicating 'relating to'). This adjective combines the ten-year period concept with the adjectival suffix to describe something measured in decades.
Climate scientists use 'decadal oscillations' to describe weather patterns that repeat approximately every ten years—like the Pacific Decadal Oscillation that affects rainfall and temperatures across North America, making it crucial for long-term weather prediction.
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