Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Inserted into a calendar: Describes an extra day, month, or period inserted into a calendar to synchronize it with the solar or seasonal year.
   • Interposed or intervening: More broadly, can describe something inserted or added between other parts or elements.

Usage and Examples

• Primary Usage (Calendar):

  • February 29 is an intercalary day added to the Gregorian calendar every four years.
  • The ancient Roman calendar used an intercalary month to correct the discrepancy with the solar cycle.

• Extended Usage (General):

  • The book contains an intercalary chapter that provides essential historical context.
  • The researcher published an intercalary report between the main quarterly updates.

Advanced Usage

• "Intercalary growth": In botany, growth that occurs at the base of an organ (like a leaf or stem), allowing it to continue lengthening.

  • Grasses exhibit intercalary growth, which is why they can regrow quickly after being cut.

• "Intercalary year": A synonym for a leap year.

  • The next intercalary year will be 2028.

Variants and Related Words

• Intercalate (verb): To insert (an extra day, month, etc.) into a calendar sequence; to interpolate.

  • The council voted to intercalate a month to align the festival with the harvest season.

• Intercalation (noun): The action of intercalating; an inserted interval.

  • The intercalation of a day every four years keeps our calendar accurate.

Synonyms

• Inserted
• Interpolated
• Interposed
• Leap (as in or )

Antonyms

• Omitted
• Regular (in the context of a standard, non-leap year)
• Standard

Related Phrases and Contexts

• Intercalary month: Specifically refers to an extra month added to a lunisolar calendar.

  • The Hebrew calendar adds an intercalary month seven times in a 19-year cycle.

• Intercalary day: Specifically refers to an extra day, like February 29.

  • People born on an intercalary day often celebrate their birthday on February 28 or March 1 in non-leap years.

Adjective

1. having a day or month inserted to make the calendar year correspond to the solar year: "Feb. 29 is an intercalary day"
   • a leap year is an intercalary year