Word: Leap Year
Definition: A leap year is a special year in the Gregorian calendar that has one extra day added to it, making it 366 days long instead of the usual 365 days. This extra day is added to February, giving it 29 days instead of 28. A year is considered a leap year if it can be divided evenly by 4. However, there is an exception: if the year is a century (like 1900 or 2000), it must also be divisible by 400 to be a leap year.
Usage Instructions: - Use "leap year" when talking about years that have an extra day. - It is often used in discussions about calendars, dates, and time.
Example: - "2020 was a leap year, so February had 29 days."
Advanced Usage:Leap years occur every four years, but the rules can make it a bit complicated. For example, the year 2000 was a leap year, but 1900 was not. Knowing about leap years can be useful for planning future events or understanding historical dates.
Word Variants: - Leap year (noun) - Leap years (plural noun)
Different Meanings:While "leap year" specifically refers to the calendar, the word "leap" can also mean to jump or spring into the air in other contexts. For example, "to leap over a puddle."
Synonyms:There aren’t direct synonyms for "leap year," but you might encounter related phrases like "extra day year" or "366-day year" in discussions.
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that include "leap year." However, you might hear phrases like "take a leap of faith," which means to take a risk or try something new without knowing the outcome.
Conclusion: A leap year is an important concept in understanding how our calendar works.