year
Pluralyears
- 1A period of twelve months or about 365 days.
Like one full circle of seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall) back to where you started.
We planted the tree a year ago, and it has already doubled in height.
Many birds fly south every year when the weather turns cold.
UsageSay a three-year plan (not
incorrect: a three-years plan). - 2The stretch of time from one fixed starting date to the next, like January 1 to December 31.
The new year begins on January 1 for most people around the world.
Her family marks the start of the year in the fall, at Rosh Hashanah.
UsageSay last year (not
incorrect: in last year).Note
- 3A very long time, often longer than you expected or wanted.
Where have you been? I've been waiting here for years!
This old laptop takes years to open a single photo.
UsageSay for years or it took years.
Similarages
Note
- 4How old a person is, or a certain part of their life.
My grandpa is very strong for his years.
She spent her teenage years in a small town in Ohio.
UsageSay in her later years.
Similarage
Note
- 5A year, or part of a year, used for one activity, like school, a sports season or a company's accounts.
At our school, the year runs from September to June.
I'm so tired by the end of the school year that I sleep for a whole week.
UsageSay the school year.
Similarseason
- 6
Less common meanings
- 7A part of an animal's life equal to one year of a human's life.
In dog years, our puppy is already a teenager.
Our vet says one cat year is like several human years, so our old cat is about ninety.
UsageSay in dog years.
Note
- 8In science, the exact time it takes the Earth to travel once around the Sun.
From the first day of spring to the first day of spring again, a year lasts a little less than 365 and a quarter days.
A leap day every four years keeps our calendar in step with the solar year.
Note
- 9The time a planet or other space object takes to travel once around its star.
Like running a lap around a track: a bigger track means a longer lap.
A year on Mars lasts about 687 Earth days.
Mercury races around the Sun so quickly that its year is only 88 days long.
UsageSay a year on Mars.
Note
- 10The time it takes for twelve full moons to pass, about 354 days.
A year of twelve moon cycles lasts about 354 days.
A lunar year, twelve full moons long, has about 354 days.
Note
- 11
- 12The average length of time the old Roman calendar covers, 365 and a quarter days.
Practice
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Origin
From Old English ġēar, meaning "year." It comes from older Germanic and Indo-European roots and is related to German Jahr and Dutch jaar.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- English year derives from Old English ġēar, meaning "year." en.wiktionary.org
- The word has older Germanic and Indo-European origins. en.wiktionary.org
- English year is related to German Jahr and Dutch jaar. en.wikisource.org