french revolutionary calendar
C2formal, historical, academic
Definition
Meaning
A calendar system created and used in France from 1793 to 1805, during and after the French Revolution, intended to replace the Gregorian calendar and remove religious and royalist influences.
A historical timekeeping system featuring 12 months of 30 days each, with five or six complementary days at year's end; months were divided into three 10-day weeks called décades, and days were renamed with agricultural and natural terms.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers specifically to the calendar implemented by the French First Republic; often appears in historical texts about the French Revolution, Enlightenment, or Republican reforms. Not used in contemporary timekeeping.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between British and American English.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes revolutionary ideology, decimalisation, anti-clericalism, and Enlightenment rationalism.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, confined to historical and academic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[the] French Revolutionary Calendar + [verb: was adopted/created/used][date] + according to + the French Revolutionary CalendarVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “as forgotten as a day in Fructidor”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, political science, and French studies papers discussing revolutionary reforms.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used by historians, calendar specialists, and in museology when describing period artefacts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The French Revolutionary Calendar date was 18 Brumaire.
American English
- A French Revolutionary Calendar month like Thermidor is famous.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The French Revolutionary Calendar had different names for the months.
- Napoleon abolished the French Revolutionary Calendar in 1805, restoring the Gregorian system.
- The attempt to decimalise time through the French Revolutionary Calendar reflected the Enlightenment's pursuit of rational uniformity in all aspects of life.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: FRenCH Revolution Changed History – Calendar Had Revolutionary Months.
Conceptual Metaphor
CALENDAR AS A POLITICAL TOOL, TIME AS A CONSTRUCT TO BE REFORMED.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'французский календарь' without 'революционный' as it becomes ambiguous.
- Do not confuse with the Soviet revolutionary calendar, which was a different, later system.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect capitalisation (e.g., 'french revolutionary calendar').
- Using it to refer to any non-Gregorian calendar.
- Misspelling 'Revolutionary' as 'Revolutinary'.
Practice
Quiz
What was a primary motivation for creating the French Revolutionary Calendar?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It was officially used in France from late 1793 (Year II) until Napoleon Bonaparte abolished it on 1 January 1806.
Months were given new names based on natural phenomena and agricultural activities, such as Vendémiaire (vintage), Brumaire (fog), and Thermidor (heat).
It failed due to practical difficulties in changing deeply ingrained weekly rhythms, resistance from the Catholic populace, and the complexity of its decimal time divisions.
No, it is not used for civil purposes. However, historians and certain enthusiasts may reference it, and some dates (like 9 Thermidor) remain famous in historical discourse.