tropical year

American  

noun

1. a division of time equal to about 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds, representing the interval between one vernal equinox and the next.

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tropical year British  

noun

1. another name for solar year See year

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tropical year Scientific  

1. A solar year.

2. See under solar time

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Etymology

Origin of tropical year

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

The second feature of the new Gregorian calendar was a change in the rule for leap year, making the average length of the year more closely approximate the tropical year.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

The basic period of revolution of Earth, called the tropical year, is 365.2422 days.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

This rate is known as the mean tropical year.

From Scientific American • Oct. 18, 2011

The true number of days in the mean tropical year actually varies slightly over time.

From Scientific American • Oct. 18, 2011

It is called a tropical year with reference to the circuit which the sun makes from one tropic to the other and back again.

From A Text-Book of Astronomy by Comstock, George C.