off year

noun

a year without a major, especially presidential, election.

a year marked by reduced or inferior production or activity in a particular field, as farming, business, or sports: With its wet, cold summer, this was an off year for grapes.

RELATED WORDS

contretemps

Nearby words

Origin of off year

First recorded in 1870–75

Related formsoff-year, adjective

Examples from the Web for off year

The off-year special election into which Duke threw himself drew little media notice at first.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise|Jason Berry|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So far, Ready for Hillary's foray into off-year elections is mixed.
Ready for Hillary Super PAC Throws In for 2014 Midterms|David Freedlander|March 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But, in an off-year special election those patterns might not hold.
Florida’s Midterm Warm Up|Ben Jacobs|March 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Canter acknowledges that the Democrats talk about “field” in every off-year election.
Democrats’ Best Weapon for Midterms: Fear of a Red Senate|Michael Tomasky|February 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Instead, the off-year had elections of less political significance but scandals that were a lot more fun.
Rob Ford and the Sleaziest Pols of the Year|Ben Jacobs|December 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
At the present time the Red Astrachans are ripe and the two off-year branches are fairly well loaded with magnificent apples.
In Pastures Green|Peter McArthur
Every President in the off-year election urges the election of a Congress of his own party.
Woodrow Wilson's Administration and Achievements|Frank B. Lord and James William Bryan
By the latter system the ploughing is done in the off-year, and the land left a naked fallow.
A Report on Washington Territory|William Henry Ruffner