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

In the same bissextile year was held the solemn ceremony of piercing the ears of the girls and young men, it being reserved for the high-priest to execute that function, assisted by godfathers and godmothers.

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

The lower classes calculate, purely by the mind without any help from pen or pencil, questions respecting interest; determine whether a given year be bissextile or not, &c. &c.

From The Uncollected Writings of Thomas de Quincey—Vol. 1 With a Preface and Annotations by James Hogg by Hogg, James

I refer you to Montucla, if you have any doubt about the Egyptian year being of 365 days without bissextile of any kind.

From Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville by Somerville, Mary

On the other hand, however, to make the calendar more nearly agree with the sun's course, every fourth hundred year is still considered bissextile.

From Amusements in Mathematics by Dudeney, Henry Ernest

Every year that can be divided by four without a remainder is bissextile or leap year, with the exception that one leap year is cut off in the century.

From Amusements in Mathematics by Dudeney, Henry Ernest