olympiad

olympiad
   a unit of time equal to four years. In ancient Greece, the olympiad referred to the four-year interval between successive Olympic Games. The first Greek olympiad was the period 776-773 BC. The olympiad was revived in 1896 when the modern Olympics began. The period 2005-2008, called the "28th Olympiad of the modern era," is the 696th olympiad by the original Greek reckoning.

Dictionary of units of measurement. 2015.

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  • Olympiad — O*lym pi*ad ([ o]*l[i^]m p[i^]*[a^]d), n. [L. olympias, adis, Gr. olympia s, olympia dos, fr. O lympos Olympus, a mountain in Macedonia: cf. F. olympiade.] 1. (Greek Antiq.) A period of four years, by which the ancient Greeks reckoned time, being …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Olympiad — Olympiad, Olympian, Olympic An Olympiad is an old term for a period of four years between Olympic Games (used principally in ancient dating), and a particular celebration of the ancient Olympic Games (and is occasionally also applied in the same… …   Modern English usage

  • Olympiad — (n.) late 14c., period of four years (between Olympic games), from Fr. Olympiade, from L. Olympiadem, from Gk. olympiados, genitive of Olympias (see OLYMPIC (Cf. Olympic)). Used by ancient Greeks as a unit in computing time. Revived in modern… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Olympiad — ► NOUN 1) a staging of the ancient or modern Olympic Games. 2) a period of four years between Olympic Games, used by the ancient Greeks in dating events …   English terms dictionary

  • Olympiad — [ō lim′pē ad΄, əlim′pē ad΄; ō lim′pēəd, ə lim′pēəd] n. [Fr olympiade < Gr Olympias (gen. Olympiados) < Olympia,OLYMPIA2 (the plain)] [often o ] 1. in ancient Greece, any of the four year periods between Olympic games: used by the Greeks in… …   English World dictionary

  • Olympiad — Stadium at ancient Olympia An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch. In this reckoning, the first… …   Wikipedia

  • olympiad — noun Usage: often capitalized Etymology: Middle English Olympias, from Latin Olympiad , Olympias, from Greek, from Olympia, site of ancient Olympic Games Date: 14th century 1. one of the 4 year intervals between Olympic Games by which time was… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Olympiad — UK [əˈlɪmpɪˌæd] / US noun [countable] Word forms Olympiad : singular Olympiad plural Olympiads formal a) a meeting of the Olympic Games b) an international competition in a particular sport or activity, such as chess …   English dictionary

  • Olympiad — Olympiadic, adj. /euh lim pee ad , oh lim /, n. (often l.c.) 1. a period of four years reckoned from one celebration of the Olympic Games to the next, by which the Greeks computed time from 776 B.C. 2. a celebration of the modern Olympic Games.… …   Universalium

  • Olympiad — O|lym|pi|ad [əˈlımpi æd] n formal [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: Olympiade, from Greek, from Olympia] a particular occasion of the modern Olympic Games ▪ the 25th Olympiad …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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