leap year

noun

1
: a year in the Gregorian calendar containing 366 days with February 29 as the extra day
2
: an intercalary year in any calendar

Examples of leap year in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The category grew just 3%, or 4% when adjusted for the leap year, after climbing 13% in the fourth quarter. Hugh Son, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025 Because 2024 was a leap year, Spring was a day early, according to News-Press, a part of the USA TODAY Network. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2025 Every four years: a presidential election, a leap year, a Lorde album. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2025 Pulling it out one stop further to the second position allows one to adjust the date clockwise and the month and leap year counterclockwise. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leap year

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of leap year was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Leap year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leap%20year. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

leap year

noun
: a year in the Gregorian calendar containing 366 days with February 29 as the extra day

More from Merriam-Webster on leap year

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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