year

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the period of time that it takes for a planet (as, e.g., Earth or Mars) to make a complete revolution around the sun

   a Martian year takes 687 of our days

2. 2
   noun

   a period of time containing 365 days

   I am four years old.

3. 3
   noun

   a period of time occupying a regular part of a calendar year that is used for some particular activity

   a school year

4. 4
   noun

   A period of time akin to the time taken for the Earth to undergo a full cycle of seasons.

   we moved to this town a year ago; I quit smoking exactly one year ago

5. 5
   noun

   An orbital period: the period of one revolution in any particular orbit: The time it takes for any astronomical object (such as a planet, dwarf planet, small Solar System body, or comet) in direct orbit around a star (such as the Sun) to make one revolution around the star.

   Mars goes around the sun once in a Martian year, or 1.88 Earth years.

6. 6
   noun

   A period between set dates that mark a year, such as from January 1 to December 31 by the Gregorian calendar, from Tishri 1 to Elul 29 by the Jewish calendar, and from Muharram 1 to Dhu al-Hijjah 29 or 30 by the Islamic calendar.

   A normal year has 365 full days, but there are 366 days in a leap year.

7. 7
   noun

   A scheduled part of a calendar year spent in a specific activity.

   During this school year I have to get up at 6:30 to catch the bus.

8. 8
   noun

   The proportion of a creature's lifespan equivalent to one year of an average human lifespan (see also dog year).

   Geneticists have created baker's yeast that can live to 800 in yeast years.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh₁-der.? Proto-Indo-European *yóh₁r̥der. Proto-Germanic *jērą Proto-West Germanic *jār Old English ġēar Middle English yeer English year From Middle English yeer, yere, from Old English ġēar (“year”), from Proto-West Germanic *jār, from Proto-Germanic *jērą (“year”), from Proto-Indo-European *yóh₁r̥ (“year, spring”). Doublet of hora and hour. Cognates Cognate with Scots year (“year”), North Frisian djooar, iir, Jaar, jeer, juar, jäär (“year”), Saterland Frisian Jíer (“year”), West Frisian jier (“year”), Bavarian Joahr, Jåar, Jåhr (“year”), Cimbrian djar…