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

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.

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

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.

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.

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 Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah