BISSEXTILE DAY Meaning and
Definition
-
Bissextile day, also referred to as leap day, is an additional day added to the calendar in order to synchronize it with the solar year. The term "bissextile" originates from the Latin word "bis" meaning twice, and "sextus" meaning sixth, referring to the extra day being inserted after the sixth day of the last month of the year.
Bissextile day is observed on February 29th during leap years, which occur every four years, with a few exceptions to maintain calendar alignment. This adjustment compensates for the fact that the Earth's orbit around the sun takes about 365.2425 days, rather than the conventional 365 days, resulting in a discrepancy that would accumulate over time without corrective measures.
The concept of bissextile day dates back to the time of the Roman Empire when the Julian calendar was implemented, following the guidance of Julius Caesar. Throughout history, various calendar reforms have been enacted to address this issue, such as the introduction of the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. The Gregorian calendar's rules for leap years further refined the principles of determining when bissextile days should occur.
Bissextile day serves as an essential element in maintaining the accuracy of the calendar and ensuring that it aligns with the Earth's rotation around the sun. Although it is an additional day, it holds a significant place in the calendar, impacting various aspects of daily life, such as birthday celebrations, legal matters, and leap year traditions.
Common Misspellings for BISSEXTILE DAY
- vissextile day
- nissextile day
- hissextile day
- gissextile day
- bussextile day
- bjssextile day
- bkssextile day
- bossextile day
- b9ssextile day
- b8ssextile day
- biasextile day
- bizsextile day
- bixsextile day
- bidsextile day
- biesextile day
- biwsextile day
- bisaextile day
- biszextile day
- bisxextile day
Etymology of BISSEXTILE DAY
The word "bissextile" comes from the Latin term "bissextus", which means "twice six". The term was used in the Julian calendar to refer to the additional day added to the month of February every four years. This additional day was inserted after the 24th or 25th of February, depending on the year. It was called "bissextile" because it occurred on the sixth day (Ides) before the beginning of March. The term "bissextile day" is used to designate February 29th, the day that occurs in leap years.
Similar spelling word for BISSEXTILE DAY
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
