julian calendar
C1Formal/Technical
Definition
Meaning
The calendar system introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, establishing a solar year of 365.25 days with a leap day every four years.
A calendrical system that served as the predominant calendar in the Roman world and later in Christian Europe until the Gregorian reform, and which is still used today by some religious communities and in astronomical contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always capitalized. Often preceded by the definite article ('the'). It functions as a proper noun naming a specific historical system. It can be contrasted with the 'Gregorian calendar' or other systems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or use. The term is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral and technical. It denotes a specific, well-defined historical system.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, primarily appearing in historical, religious, or scientific contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] follows the Julian calendar.[Subject] was introduced in the Julian calendar.The date [date] in the Julian calendar corresponds to...Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in history, religious studies, and astronomy to discuss historical dating, the calendar reform of 1582/1752, and the calculation of equinoxes.
Everyday
Very rare. Might appear in discussions of history or when explaining the difference between 'Old Style' and 'New Style' dates.
Technical
Used in astronomy, historical chronology, and by some Eastern Orthodox churches to determine religious feast days.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The Julian calendar date is 13 days behind the modern one.
- They still use a Julian calendar reckoning for Easter.
American English
- The Julian calendar date is 13 days behind the modern one.
- They maintain a Julian calendar system for liturgical purposes.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar long ago.
- The Julian calendar had a leap year every four years.
- The Gregorian calendar was introduced to correct the accumulating error in the Julian calendar.
- Some historical documents use dates from the Julian calendar.
- The discrepancy between the Julian and Gregorian calendars amounts to approximately one day every 128 years.
- The Orthodox Church of Ukraine voted to abandon the Julian calendar for most fixed feast days.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
JULIAn calendar was made by JULIus Caesar. Think 'Julian' for 'Julius'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MEASURABLE SYSTEM (a calendar is a tool for measurement).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Прямой перевод 'Юлианский календарь' является точным и корректным. Ловушек нет.
Common Mistakes
- Writing 'julian calendar' in lowercase.
- Confusing it with the 'Gregorian calendar'.
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary motivation for replacing the Julian calendar with the Gregorian one?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Gregorian calendar modifies the leap year rule. In the Julian calendar, every year divisible by 4 is a leap year. In the Gregorian calendar, years divisible by 100 are not leap years, unless they are also divisible by 400.
Not for civil purposes in any major country. However, it is still used by some Orthodox Churches (e.g., the Russian, Serbian, and Georgian Orthodox Churches) to determine the dates of movable feasts like Easter.
'Old Style' (O.S.) refers to dates according to the Julian calendar. 'New Style' (N.S.) refers to dates according to the Gregorian calendar. Historical dates are sometimes given with both notations.
Britain and its American colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752. The day after Wednesday 2nd September 1752 (O.S.) became Thursday 14th September 1752 (N.S.).