bissextile

[ bahy-seks-til, -tahyl, bih- ]

adjective

1. containing or noting the extra day of leap year:

   The years 1980 and 1984 were both bissextile.

noun

1. leap year.

bissextile

/ bɪˈsɛkstaɪl /

adjective

1. (of a month or year) containing the extra day of a leap year

noun

1. a rare name for leap year

Word History and Origins

Origin of bissextile¹

1585–95; < Late Latin bi ( s ) sextilis ( annus ) leap year, equivalent to bissext ( us ) bissextus + -ilis -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of bissextile¹

C16: from Late Latin bissextilis annus leap year, from Latin bissextus , from bi- ¹+ sextus sixth; referring to February 24, the 6th day before the Calends of March

Example Sentences

Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by 400.

From Project Gutenberg

Tescoco. 1st year of Mexican Cycle  1 Tochtli 1454 Dec. 31 Dec. 21 Jan. 9 Dec. 30   Bissextile year  3 Tecpatl 1456 30 20 8 29     do.

From Project Gutenberg

For, on account of our intercalation of one day every bissextile year, the Mexican year receded, as compared with ours, one day every four years.

From Project Gutenberg

Bissextile Year, why call'd so, 55.

From Project Gutenberg

Nevertheless, as all this was not enough, because the Year consists of 365 Days, 6 Hours, wanting about 11 Minutes, the Emperor would have every 4 Years, a Year of 366 Days, which additional Day should be plac'd between the 6th and 7th of the Calends of March, so that there were two 6th Days of the Calends of March, in such a Year, which was therefore call'd Bissextile, because the 6th Day was reckon'd twice before they proceeded to the next.

From Project Gutenberg