bissextile

American  

[bahy-seks-til, -tahyl, bih-] / baɪˈsɛks tɪl, -taɪl, bɪ- /

adjective

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

   The years 1980 and 1984 were both bissextile.

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noun

1. leap year.

bissextile British  

/ bɪˈsɛkstaɪl /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a rare name for leap year

Etymology

Origin of bissextile

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

Example Sentences

The bissextile is known to have been used by the Mayas, Tzendals, and Quichés, and it was probably common.

From Ancient America, in Notes on American Archaeology by Baldwin, John D. (John Denison)

So the Pope determined that in each 400 years there should be only 97 bissextile years, instead of 100, as there used to be in the Julian calendar.

From Astronomical Myths Based on Flammarions's History of the Heavens by Blake, John F.

These are subtracted every hundred years by not taking as bissextile those secular years of which the radical is not divisible by four.

From Astronomy for Amateurs by Welby, Frances A. (Frances Alice)

Respecting the bissextile, I have already manifested my opinion in the chronology of the Indians.

From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. I. by Stephens, John L.

Mr. Schwilgué has even indicated the suppression of the secular bissextile days.

From Historical Sketch of the Cathedral of Strasburg by Anonymous