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

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

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

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

The space of time in which the earth passes through her orbit—distinct from and longer than the tropical year, owing to the precession of the equinoxes.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir