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leap year
noun
1
: a year in the Gregorian calendar containing 366 days with February 29 as the extra day
2
: an intercalary year in any calendar
Examples of leap year in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Because 2024 was a leap year, winter was a day early, according to News-Press, a part of the USA TODAY Network.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
The origin of the leap year, which adds one day—the 29th—to the end of February once every four years, dates all the way back to 46 B.C.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 29 Feb. 2024
To account for time shifts, not every four years gets to be a leap year.
—Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 29 Feb. 2024
The 42mm platinum case houses an anthracite dial that displays an automatic minute repeating perpetual calendar, mono-pusher chronograph, moon phases, leap year and day-night indication.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of leap year was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near leap year
Cite this Entry
“Leap year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leap%20year. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
leap year
noun
: a year in the Gregorian calendar containing 366 days with February 29 as the extra day
More from Merriam-Webster on leap year
Nglish: Translation of leap year for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leap year
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