kalends
Low / ObsoleteFormal, Historical, Literary
Definition
Meaning
The first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar.
A point of reference for time reckoning; often used figuratively to mean 'never' (as in 'at the Greek kalends').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a historical and specialized term. In modern usage, it appears almost exclusively in historical contexts, references to the Roman calendar, or in the idiomatic phrase 'Greek kalends' (meaning a time that will never come). The spelling 'calends' is more common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage. Both varieties treat it as a historical/literary term.
Connotations
Academic, historical, antiquarian.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The debt was due on the kalends of January.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the Greek kalends (meaning 'never')”
- “postponed to the Greek kalends”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical studies, classics, and writings on ancient chronology.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in precise historical dating contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The kalendary system was complex.
American English
- The kalendric calculations were based on lunar phases.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The Romans had a special name for the first day of the month.
- In ancient Rome, interest on loans was often calculated from the kalends.
- The treaty stipulated that tribute must be delivered by the kalends of each succeeding month.
- His promise to repay the loan was as reliable as a cheque dated for the Greek kalends.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Kalends' = 'Calendar start' (both start with 'C'/'K' sound). The KALENDs KICK off the month.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CALENDAR (specific, marked points). The kalends are a fixed, named point on the timeline.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'календарь' (calendar). 'Kalends' refers specifically to a single day, not the whole system.
- The idiom 'at the Greek kalends' is similar in meaning to the Russian expression 'когда рак свистнет' (when the crayfish whistles).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'calenders' (like the machine).
- Using it to refer to any calendar date, not specifically the first day.
- Pronouncing the 'k' as silent.
Practice
Quiz
What did 'kalends' specifically refer to in ancient Rome?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference in meaning. 'Kalends' is a variant spelling of 'calends'. 'Calends' is the more common spelling.
Almost never in everyday language. It is confined to historical, academic, or literary contexts, most famously in the idiom 'Greek kalends'.
It means 'never'. The Greeks did not use the Roman kalends in their calendar, so a date set for the 'Greek kalends' was an impossibility.
The word 'calendar' is derived from Latin 'kalendae' (kalends), because accounts were due on the first day of the month, and this list of due dates formed an early 'calendar'.