Also called calendar month.any of the twelve parts, as January or February, into which the calendar year is divided.
2.
the time from any day of one calendar month to the corresponding day of the next.
3.
a period of four weeks or 30 days.
4.
Also called solar month.one-twelfth of a solar or tropical year.
5.
Also called lunar month.the period of a complete revolution of the moon around the earth, as the period between successive new moons (synodic month), equal to 29.531 days, or the period between successive conjunctions with a star (sidereal month), equal to 27.322 days, or the period between successive perigees (anomalistic month), equal to 27.555 days, or the period between successive similar nodes (nodical month or draconic month), equal to 27.212 days.
6.
an unusually long period of time of indefinite length: I haven't seen him for months.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME; OE mōnath; c. OHG mānōd, ON mānathr.See moon]
A unit of time corresponding approximately to one cycle of the moon's phases, or about 30 days or 4 weeks.
Abbr. mo. One of the 12 divisions of a year as determined by a calendar, especially the Gregorian calendar. Also called calendar month.
A period extending from a date in one calendar month to the corresponding date in the following month.
A sidereal month.
A lunar month.
A solar month.
[Middle English moneth, from Old English mōnath; see mē-2 in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: The singular month, preceded by a number and a hyphen, is used as a compound attributive: a three-month vacation. The plural possessive form without a hyphen is also possible: a three months' vacation.
O.E. monað, from P.Gmc. *mænoth- (O.N. manaðr, M.Du. manet, Du. maand, O.H.G. manod, Ger. Monat, Goth. menoþs "month"), related to *mænon- "moon" (see moon). Its cognates mean only "month" in the Romance languages, but in Gmc. generally continue to do double duty. Phrase a month of Sundays "a very long time" is from 1832 (roughly 7 and a half months, but never used literally).
A*nom`a*lis"tic\, Anomalistical \A*nom`a*lis"tic*al\, a. [Cf. F. anomalistique.]1. Irregular; departing from common or established rules. 2. (Astron.) Pertaining to the anomaly, or angular distance of a planet from its perihelion. Anomalistic month. See under Month. Anomalistic revolution, the period in which a planet or satellite goes through the complete cycles of its changes of anomaly, or from any point in its elliptic orbit to the same again. Anomalistic, or Periodical year. See under Year.
Cal"en*dar\, n. [OE. kalender, calender, fr. L. kalendarium an interest or account book (cf. F. calendrier, OF. calendier) fr. L. calendue, kalendae, calends. See Calends.]1. An orderly arrangement of the division of time, adapted to the purposes of civil life, as years, months, weeks, and days; also, a register of the year with its divisions; an almanac. 2. (Eccl.) A tabular statement of the dates of feasts, offices, saints' days, etc., esp. of those which are liable to change yearly according to the varying date of Easter. 3. An orderly list or enumeration of persons, things, or events; a schedule; as, a calendar of state papers; a calendar of bills presented in a legislative assembly; a calendar of causes arranged for trial in court; a calendar of a college or an academy. Note: Shepherds of people had need know the calendars of tempests of state. --Bacon. Calendar clock, one that shows the days of the week and month. Calendar month. See under Month. French Republican calendar. See under Vend['e]miaire. Gregorian calendar, Julian calendar, Perpetual calendar. See under Gregorian, Julian, and Perpetual.
Lu"nar\, a. [L. lunaris, fr. luna the moon. See Luna, and cf. Lunary.]1. Of or pertaining to the moon; as, lunar observations. 2. Resembling the moon; orbed. --Dryden. 3. Measured by the revolutions of the moon; as, a lunar month. 4. Influenced by the moon, as in growth, character, or properties; as, lunar herbs. --Bacon. Lunar caustic (Med. Chem.), silver nitrate prepared to be used as a cautery; -- so named because silver was called luna by the ancient alchemists. Lunar cycle. Same as Metonic cycle. See under Cycle. Lunar distance, the angular distance of the moon from the sun, a star, or a planet, employed for determining longitude by the lunar method. Lunar method, the method of finding a ship's longitude by comparing the local time of taking (by means of a sextant or circle) a given lunar distance, with the Greenwich time corresponding to the same distance as ascertained from a nautical almanac, the difference of these times being the longitude. Lunar month. See Month. Lunar observation, an observation of a lunar distance by means of a sextant or circle, with the altitudes of the bodies, and the time, for the purpose of computing the longitude. Lunar tables. (a) (Astron.) Tables of the moon's motions, arranged for computing the moon's true place at any time past or future. (b) (Navigation) Tables for correcting an observed lunar distance on account of refraction and parallax. Lunar year, the period of twelve lunar months, or 354 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, and 34.38 seconds.
Men"ses\, n. pl. [L. mensis month, pl. menses months, and the monthly courses of women. Cf. Month.] (Med.) The catamenial or menstrual discharge, a periodic flow of blood or bloody fluid from the uterus or female generative organs.
Month\, n. [OE. month, moneth, AS. m[=o]n?, m[=o]na?; akin to m[=o]na moon, and to D. maand month, G. monat, OHG. m[=a]n[=o]d, Icel. m[=a]nu?r, m[=a]na?r, Goth. m[=e]n[=o]?s. [root]272. See Moon.] One of the twelve portions into which the year is divided; the twelfth part of a year, corresponding nearly to the length of a synodic revolution of the moon, -- whence the name. In popular use, a period of four weeks is often called a month. Note: In the common law, a month is a lunar month, or twenty-eight days, unless otherwise expressed. --Blackstone. In the United States the rule of the common law is generally changed, and a month is declared to mean a calendar month. --Cooley's Blackstone. A month mind. (a) A strong or abnormal desire. [Obs.] --Shak. (b) A celebration made in remembrance of a deceased person a month after death. --Strype. Calendar months, the months as adjusted in the common or Gregorian calendar; April, June, September, and November, containing 30 days, and the rest 31, except February, which, in common years, has 28, and in leap years 29. Lunar month, the period of one revolution of the moon, particularly a synodical revolution; but several kinds are distinguished, as the synodical month, or period from one new moon to the next, in mean length 29 d. 12 h. 44 m. 2.87 s.; the nodical month, or time of revolution from one node to the same again, in length 27 d. 5 h. 5 m. 36 s.; the sidereal, or time of revolution from a star to the same again, equal to 27 d. 7 h. 43 m. 11.5 s.; the anomalistic, or time of revolution from perigee to perigee again, in length 27 d. 13 h. 18 m. 37.4 s.; and the tropical, or time of passing from any point of the ecliptic to the same again, equal to 27 d. 7 h. 43 m. 4.7 s. Solar month, the time in which the sun passes through one sign of the zodiac, in mean length 30 d. 10 h. 29 m. 4.1 s.
Moon\, n. [OE. mone, AS. m[=o]na; akin to D. maan, OS. & OHG. m[=a]no, G. mond, Icel. m[=a]ni, Dan. maane, Sw. m[*a]ne, Goth. m[=e]na, Lith. men?, L. mensis month, Gr. ? moon, ? month, Skr. m[=a]s moon, month; prob. from a root meaning to measure (cf. Skr. m[=a] to measure), from its serving to measure the time. [root]271. Cf. Mete to measure, Menses, Monday, Month.]1. The celestial orb which revolves round the earth; the satellite of the earth; a secondary planet, whose light, borrowed from the sun, is reflected to the earth, and serves to dispel the darkness of night. The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles, its mean distance from the earth is 240,000 miles, and its mass is one eightieth that of the earth. See Lunar month, under Month. The crescent moon, the diadem of night. --Cowper. 2. A secondary planet, or satellite, revolving about any member of the solar system; as, the moons of Jupiter or Saturn. 3. The time occupied by the moon in making one revolution in her orbit; a month. --Shak. 4. (Fort.) A crescentlike outwork. See Half-moon. Moon blindness. (a) (Far.) A kind of ophthalmia liable to recur at intervals of three or four weeks. (b) (Med.) Hemeralopia. Moon dial, a dial used to indicate time by moonlight. Moon face, a round face like a full moon. Moon madness, lunacy. [Poetic] Moon month, a lunar month. Moon trefoil (Bot.), a shrubby species of medic (Medicago arborea). See Medic. Moon year, a lunar year, consisting of lunar months, being sometimes twelve and sometimes thirteen.
Moon\, n. [OE. mone, AS. m[=o]na; akin to D. maan, OS. & OHG. m[=a]no, G. mond, Icel. m[=a]ni, Dan. maane, Sw. m[*a]ne, Goth. m[=e]na, Lith. men?, L. mensis month, Gr. ? moon, ? month, Skr. m[=a]s moon, month; prob. from a root meaning to measure (cf. Skr. m[=a] to measure), from its serving to measure the time. [root]271. Cf. Mete to measure, Menses, Monday, Month.]1. The celestial orb which revolves round the earth; the satellite of the earth; a secondary planet, whose light, borrowed from the sun, is reflected to the earth, and serves to dispel the darkness of night. The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles, its mean distance from the earth is 240,000 miles, and its mass is one eightieth that of the earth. See Lunar month, under Month. The crescent moon, the diadem of night. --Cowper. 2. A secondary planet, or satellite, revolving about any member of the solar system; as, the moons of Jupiter or Saturn. 3. The time occupied by the moon in making one revolution in her orbit; a month. --Shak. 4. (Fort.) A crescentlike outwork. See Half-moon. Moon blindness. (a) (Far.) A kind of ophthalmia liable to recur at intervals of three or four weeks. (b) (Med.) Hemeralopia. Moon dial, a dial used to indicate time by moonlight. Moon face, a round face like a full moon. Moon madness, lunacy. [Poetic] Moon month, a lunar month. Moon trefoil (Bot.), a shrubby species of medic (Medicago arborea). See Medic. Moon year, a lunar year, consisting of lunar months, being sometimes twelve and sometimes thirteen.
Nod"ic*al\, a. Of or pertaining to the nodes; from a node to the same node again; as, the nodical revolutions of the moon. Nodical month. See Lunar month, under Month.
Si*de"re*al\, a. [L. sidereus, from sidus, sideris, a constellation, a star. Cf. Sideral, Consider, Desire.]1. Relating to the stars; starry; astral; as, sidereal astronomy. 2. (Astron.) Measuring by the apparent motion of the stars; designated, marked out, or accompanied, by a return to the same position in respect to the stars; as, the sidereal revolution of a planet; a sidereal day. Sidereal clock, day, month, year. See under Clock, Day, etc. Sideral time, time as reckoned by sideral days, or, taking the sidereal day as the unit, the time elapsed since a transit of the vernal equinox, reckoned in parts of a sidereal day. This is, strictly, apparent sidereal time, mean sidereal time being reckoned from the transit, not of the true, but of the mean, equinoctial point.
So"lar\, a. [L. solaris, fr. sol the sun; akin to As. s[=o]l, Icel. s[=o]l, Goth. sauil, Lith. saule, W. haul,. sul, Skr. svar, perhaps to E. sun:F. solaire. Cf. Parasol. Sun.]1. Of or pertaining to the sun; proceeding from the sun; as, the solar system; solar light; solar rays; solar influence. See Solar system, below. 2. (Astrol.) Born under the predominant influence of the sun. [Obs.] And proud beside, as solar people are. --Dryden. 3. Measured by the progress or revolution of the sun in the ecliptic; as, the solar year. 4. Produced by the action of the sun, or peculiarly affected by its influence. They denominate some herbs solar, and some lunar. --Bacon. Solar cycle. See under Cycle. Solar day. See Day, 2. Solar engine, an engine in which the energy of solar heat is used to produce motion, as in evaporating water for a steam engine, or expanding air for an air engine. Solar flowers (Bot.), flowers which open and shut daily at certain hours. Solar lamp, an argand lamp. Solar microscope, a microscope consisting essentially, first, of a mirror for reflecting a beam of sunlight through the tube, which sometimes is fixed in a window shutter; secondly, of a condenser, or large lens, for converging the beam upon the object; and, thirdly, of a small lens, or magnifier, for throwing an enlarged image of the object at its focus upon a screen in a dark room or in a darkened box. Solar month. See under Month. Solar oil, a paraffin oil used an illuminant and lubricant. Solar phosphori (Physics), certain substances, as the diamond, siulphide of barium (Bolognese or Bologna phosphorus), calcium sulphide, etc., which become phosphorescent, and shine in the dark, after exposure to sunlight or other intense light. Solar plexus (Anat.), a nervous plexus situated in the dorsal and anterior part of the abdomen, consisting of several sympathetic ganglia with connecting and radiating nerve fibers; -- so called in allusion to the radiating nerve fibers. Solar spots. See Sun spots, under Sun. Solar system (Astron.), the sun, with the group of celestial bodies which, held by its attraction, revolve round it. The system comprises the major planets, with their satellites; the minor planets, or asteroids, and the comets; also, the meteorids, the matter that furnishes the zodiacal light, and the rings of Saturn. The satellites that revolve about the major planets are twenty-two in number, of which the Earth has one (see Moon.), Mars two, Jupiter five, Saturn nine, Uranus four, and Neptune one. The asteroids, between Mars and Jupiter, thus far discovered (1900), number about five hundred, the first four of which were found near the beginning of the century, and are called Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta. Note: The principal elements of the major planets, and of the comets seen at more than one perihelion passage, are exhibited in the following tables: -- I. -- Major Planets. Symbol.Name.Mean distance -- that of the Earth being unity.Period in days.Eccentricity.Inclination of orbit.Diameter in miles ????????????????????? II. -- Periodic Comets. Name.Greatest distance from sun.Least distance from sun.Inclination of orbit.Perihelion passage. [deg] [min] 54 Encke's3.314.100.34212 541885.2 ????????????????????? Solar telegraph, telegraph for signaling by flashes of reflected sunlight. Solar time. See Apparent time, under Time.
Syn*od"ic\, Synodical \Syn*od"ic*al\, a. [L. synodicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. synodique.]1. (Eccl.) Of or pertaining to a synod; transacted in, or authorized by, a synod; as, synodical proceedings or forms. "A synodical epistle." --Bp. Stillingfleet. 2. (Astron.) Pertaining to conjunction, especially to the period between two successive conjunctions; extending from one conjunction, as of the moon or a planet with the sun, to the next; as, a synodical month (see Lunar month, under Month); the synodical revolution of the moon or a planet.
Trop"ic*al\, a. [Cf. L. tropicus of turning, Gr. ?. See Tropic, n.]1. Of or pertaining to the tropics; characteristic of, or incident to, the tropics; being within the tropics; as, tropical climate; tropical latitudes; tropical heat; tropical diseases. 2. [From Trope.] Rhetorically changed from its exact original sense; being of the nature of a trope; figurative; metaphorical. --Jer. Taylor. The foundation of all parables is some analogy or similitude between the tropical or allusive part of the parable and the thing intended by it. --South. Tropic month. See Lunar month, under Month. Tropic year, the solar year; the period occupied by the sun in passing from one tropic or one equinox to the same again, having a mean length of 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 46.0 seconds, which is 20 minutes, 23.3 seconds shorter than the sidereal year, on account of the precession of the equinoxes.
Year\, n. [OE. yer, yeer, [yogh]er, AS. ge['a]r; akin to OFries. i?r, g?r, D. jaar, OHG. j[=a]r, G. jahr, Icel. [=a]r, Dan. aar, Sw. [*a]r, Goth. j?r, Gr. ? a season of the year, springtime, a part of the day, an hour, ? a year, Zend y[=a]re year. [root]4, 279. Cf. Hour, Yore.]1. The time of the apparent revolution of the sun trough the ecliptic; the period occupied by the earth in making its revolution around the sun, called the astronomical year; also, a period more or less nearly agreeing with this, adopted by various nations as a measure of time, and called the civil year; as, the common lunar year of 354 days, still in use among the Mohammedans; the year of 360 days, etc. In common usage, the year consists of 365 days, and every fourth year (called bissextile, or leap year) of 366 days, a day being added to February on that year, on account of the excess above 365 days (see Bissextile). Of twenty year of age he was, I guess. --Chaucer. Note: The civil, or legal, year, in England, formerly commenced on the 25th of March. This practice continued throughout the British dominions till the year 1752. 2. The time in which any planet completes a revolution about the sun; as, the year of Jupiter or of Saturn. 3. pl. Age, or old age; as, a man in years. --Shak. Anomalistic year, the time of the earth's revolution from perihelion to perihelion again, which is 365 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes, and 48 seconds. A year's mind (Eccl.), a commemoration of a deceased person, as by a Mass, a year after his death. Cf. A month's mind, under Month. Bissextile year. See Bissextile. Canicular year. See under Canicular. Civil year, the year adopted by any nation for the computation of time. Common lunar year, the period of 12 lunar months, or 354 days. Common year, each year of 365 days, as distinguished from leap year. Embolismic year, or Intercalary lunar year, the period of 13 lunar months, or 384 days. Fiscal year (Com.), the year by which accounts are reckoned, or the year between one annual time of settlement, or balancing of accounts, and another. Great year. See Platonic year, under Platonic. Gregorian year, Julian year. See under Gregorian, and Julian. Leap year. See Leap year, in the Vocabulary. Lunar astronomical year, the period of 12 lunar synodical months, or 354 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, 36 seconds. Lunisolar year. See under Lunisolar. Periodical year. See Anomalistic year, above. Platonic year, Sabbatical year. See under Platonic, and Sabbatical. Sidereal year, the time in which the sun, departing from any fixed star, returns to the same. This is 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 9.3 seconds. Tropical year. See under Tropical. Year and a day (O. Eng. Law), a time to be allowed for an act or an event, in order that an entire year might be secured beyond all question. --Abbott. Year of grace, any year of the Christian era; Anno Domini; A. D. or a. d.
Among the Egyptians the month of thirty days each was in use long before the time of the Exodus, and formed the basis of their calculations. From the time of the institution of the Mosaic law the month among the Jews was lunar. The cycle of religious feasts depended on the moon. The commencement of a month was determined by the observation of the new moon. The number of months in the year was usually twelve (1 Kings 4:7; 1 Chr. 27:1-15); but every third year an additional month (ve-Adar) was inserted, so as to make the months coincide with the seasons. "The Hebrews and Phoenicians had no word for month save 'moon,' and only saved their calendar from becoming vague like that of the Moslems by the interpolation of an additional month. There is no evidence at all that they ever used a true solar year such as the Egyptians possessed. The latter had twelve months of thirty days and five epagomenac or odd days.", Palestine Quarterly, January 1889.
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