Glossary
Explanation of terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Advent - the period between Advent Sunday and Christmas, from Latin adventus = arrival.
Almanac - A table or book of tables listing the events - astronomical, nautical or otherwise - for the year.
Bissextile Year - a leap year - because in the Roman calendar 24th February occurred twice in leap years. The 24th February was usually called sextum Kalendis Martias, the added day was called bis sextum Kalendis Martias - hence bissextile. [more]
Calends, Cal. - the kalends or first day of the month in the Roman calendar.
Calisto, Callisto - (kæl-ist'-o), n. 1. astron. The Plough constellation in the northern sky, the Great Bear, Ursa Major, Big Dipper. 2. Gk myth. Arcadian nymph changed by Zeus into a she-bear and placed in the heavens as the constellation Ursa Major. 3. astron. Outer of Jupiter's four satellites, discovered by Galileo in 1610.
Common Year - the Common Year has 365 days, whereas the leap year has 366
Decade - a period of ten days, or ten years
Decollation - beheading (eg of John Baptist)
Dionysius - Denis
Dominical Letter or Number - the letter or number indicating the date of the first Sunday of the year. Where A = 1, B = 2 etc
Easter - falls on the Sunday first after the paschal full moon. The paschal full moon is the full moon which falls on or first after 21st March - the vernal equinox. The date of Easter is however calculated, and is therefore fixed by reference to a theoretical moon. [more]
Embolismic day - a day or month inserted into a calendar to better align it with the seasons or the cycles of the moon. Encountered in the Jewish (which has embolismic months) and Islamic calendars. Known as a leap day in the western calendar. From Latin (embolismus), derived from Greek (εμβολισμός) to throw in.
Ephemeris, ephemerides - the predicted positions of celestial objects
Equinox - at the equinox the Sun is over the equator, at this time of year the night and day are of the same length throughout the world. There are two equinoxes one in the spring (Vernal) and one in the autumn on or about 21st March and 22nd September respectively.
Eve, Even - the day before, especially before a festival, NOT short for evening
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Fortnight - a period of two weeks duration
Golden number - the tables for calculating Easter give each year a number, commonly called the golden number, indicating its place in the Metonic Cycle
Gregorian Calendar - the calendar named after Pope Gregory XIII. Introduced by countries on various dates in or after 1583. It has 969 leap years in 4,000 years.
Gregorian Year - more nearly matches the length of the natural year and has a length of 365.2425 days. The year in the previously used Julian calendar was 365.25 days long, the difference being 0.75 days in every century.
Hilary, Hilary term - Legal/university term starting around St Hilary's day 13 January.
Ides, idus - in the Roman calendar: 15th March, May, July, October. The 13th day of other months.
Inclusive counting - the Romans counted a space of days by including the start and the finishing day. Thus the third day after Sunday was Tuesday - Sun = 1, Mon = 2, Tues = 3.
Inst, Instant - a date in the current month (cf ultimo, proximo)
Intercalary - a day or month inserted into the calendar
Invention - the discovery or finding of relics
Iour - jour, day
Jour - day
Journal - diary or daily accounts book
Journeyman - one paid daily or qualified in a trade
Julian Calendar - the calendar named after Julius Caesar. Introduced in 45BC it has 1,000 leap years in 4,000 years
Julian Date - the date in the Julian calendar
Julian Day or Julian Day No - a method of identifying a date by counting the number of days since noon on 1st January 4713BC, which is zero. It is particularly useful to astronomers (and calendar makers) who need to uniquely identify days in history. A more convenient reference point, with smaller numbers, is 17th November 1858 which gives rise to the Modified Julian Day.
Julian Year - this year in the calendar introduced by Julius Caesar is 365.25 days long, whereas the year in our current calendar is 365.2425 days long.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Kalends, kal - the Calends - in the Roman calendar: 1st day of each month
Leap Day - the extra day present in a Leap Year. 29th February in the current calendar.
Leap Year - A year of 366 days, whereas a common year has 365, so called because festivals after 29th February "leap" forward by one day when compared with a normal day. The addition of leap years to the calendar allows the synchronisation of the calendar year with the natural year.
Lent - Period of fasting before Easter starting on Ash Wednesday. From Old English lencten (= lengthen), hence spring, when the days lengthen. March was called lencten monath, > lencten faesten > Lent.
Lost Days - the days omitted from the calendar when changing from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. This was variously 10, 11, 12 or 13 days. The cause of some civil commotion at the time.
Metonic cycle - the cycle of roughly 19 years after which the dates of the moon's cycle and Easter repeated themselves in the Julian Calendar. Named after the Greek astronomer Meton
Modified Julian Day (MJD) - a method of identifying a date by counting the number of days since midnight on 17th November 1858. It can be obtained by subtracting 2,400,000.5 from the Julian Day number.
Morrow - the day after
New Style - the method of reckoning according to according to the Gregorian calendar, irrespective of the date adopted for the beginning of the year. Often attached to dates to differentiate them from Old Style. Thus 21 December 1588 NS (which happens to be 11 December 1588 OS - use Calisto to find out).
Nones - in the Roman calendar: 7th March, May, July and October. The 5th day of the other months.
NS - New Style
Octave - the eighth day after a Christian festival (or the period between these two days), counting the festival day as the first (ie counting inclusively). Thus: the Octave of 1st November, All Saints' Day, is 8th November.
Old Style - the method of reckoning according to according to the Julian calendar, irrespective of the date adopted for the beginning of the year. Often attached to dates to differentiate them from New Style. Thus 11 December 1588 OS (which happens to be 21 December 1588 NS - use Calisto to find out).
Old Style dates - dates using the reckoning of the Julian calendar
Old Style years - began on 25th March
OS - Old Style
p - Proximo (cf Inst, Ult)
Paskes, Pasch - Easter, Passover - from (Greek/Hebrew) Pesach = Passover
Paschal - of or related to Easter
Proximo, prox - a date in the following month
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Quarter Days - the four days regarded as starting a new quarter year, rents often fell due
Quindene, Quinzaine - the 15th day after a festival (counting inclusively). Thus the Quindene of 1st November is 15th November.
Red Letter Day - Church festivals were often printed in red in prayer books and almanacs
Regnal year - a method of recording a date by reference to the monarchs accession. which includes reference to the year of a monarch's reign
Rogation days - the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between Rogation Sunday and Ascension Day. When the boundaries of a parish were reinforced in peoples minds by going around the parish boundary - called beating the bounds. Also known as Gang Days.
Roman dates - dates numbered in the Roman fashion, by reference to the nones, ides etc.
Sennight - a week, seven nights
Stilo novo - Latin for new style qv.
Stir up Sunday - the Sunday before Advent, the collect of which starts "Stir up we beseech thee O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people ...". Traditionally the day to stir Christmas puddings.
Translation, of a saint - the removal, or the death, of a saint from heaven to earth. Sometimes the moving of a saint's day to a vacant place in the calendar when it clashed with another.
Trinity, term - law term starting Tuesday after Trinity Sunday
u, ult, ulto, ultimo - date in previous month, on last day of that month (cf Inst and Prox)
Uttaves - octave
Veille - vigil
Vigil - the day before
X - Roman numeral 10
Year, Common - a year of 365 days, whereas a leap year has 366 days
Year, Gregorian - 365.2425 days
Year, Gregorian (modified) - 365.24225 days
Year, Julian - 365.25 days
Year, Leap - a year of 366 days, whereas a common year has 365 days
Year, Tropical - 365.2421988 days
