year
/jɪr/
NOUN
1. A period of Earth's revolution around the Sun
The time required for Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun, approximately 365.24 days.
1.1. Astronomical period
Refers to the time Earth takes to orbit the Sun once, forming the basis of the calendar year.
Synonyms
- solar year
- tropical year
- orbital period
Examples
- Earth completes one revolution around the Sun in approximately one year.
Related Words
1.2. Orbital period of another celestial body
Describes the time a planet, comet, or other astronomical object takes to complete one orbit around its star.
Synonyms
- orbital period
- revolution period
Examples
- A year on Mars is considerably longer than a year on Earth.
Related Words
- planet
- celestial body
- orbit
- star
- astronomy
NOUN
2. A calendar period of twelve months
A period designated as a year by a calendar system, commonly consisting of twelve months and beginning on a specified date.
2.1. Calendar year
Refers to the twelve-month period used in a calendar, such as January through December in the Gregorian calendar.
Synonyms
- calendar year
- twelve-month period
- annum
Examples
- The company publishes its annual financial report at the end of each year.
Related Words
2.2. Religious or traditional calendar cycle
Describes a twelve-month or otherwise defined annual period according to a religious, cultural, or traditional calendar.
Synonyms
- calendar cycle
- annual cycle
Examples
- The Islamic year begins with the month of Muharram.
Related Words
- Islamic calendar
- Jewish calendar
- Muharram
- Ramadan
- Tishri
NOUN
3. A scheduled period of activity
A designated portion of a calendar year allocated to a particular activity, purpose, or recurring event.
3.1. Academic year
Refers to a scheduled period during which educational institutions conduct classes, examinations, and other academic activities.
Synonyms
- academic year
- school year
- academic session
Examples
- She plans to complete her final project before the end of the academic year.
Related Words
3.2. Annual working or operational period
Describes a designated twelve-month period used for organizing business operations, employment activities, or institutional schedules.
Synonyms
- fiscal year
- financial year
- operating year
Examples
- The organization expects higher revenue during the next fiscal year.
Related Words
- budget
- accounting
- business
- reporting period
- annual review
NOUN
4. A Julian unit of time
A standardized unit of time defined as exactly 365.25 days and commonly represented by the symbol a.
4.1. Standardized astronomical time unit
Used in scientific and astronomical calculations as a fixed-duration unit equivalent to 365.25 days.
Synonyms
- Julian year
- 365.25-day period
Examples
- The calculation uses a Julian year of exactly 365.25 days.
Related Words
- day
- second
- time unit
- astronomy
- measurement
NOUN
5. A level or grade in education
A particular stage of study or classification within a school, college, or university course.
5.1. School or college grade
Indicates a student's level of progression in an educational institution, often identified by the number of years completed.
Synonyms
- grade
- class
- academic level
Examples
- She is entering her final year at university.
Related Words
NOUN
6. An equivalent period in an animal's lifespan
A comparative unit representing a period of an animal's life in relation to the equivalent proportion of an average human lifespan.
6.1. Comparative animal age
Used to express an animal's age through a conversion based on the relationship between its lifespan and the average human lifespan.
Synonyms
- dog year
- animal-age equivalent
Examples
- A dog's age is sometimes expressed in human years using the dog-year comparison.