year

noun

1
a
: the period of about 3651/4 solar days required for one revolution of the earth around the sun
b
: the time required for the apparent sun to return to an arbitrary fixed or moving reference point in the sky
c
: the time in which a planet completes a revolution about the sun
two Mercury years
2
a
: a cycle in the Gregorian calendar of 365 or 366 days divided into 12 months beginning with January and ending with December
b
: a period of time equal to one year of the Gregorian calendar but beginning at a different time
3
: a calendar year specified usually by a number
died in the year 1900
4
years plural : a time or era having a special significance
their glory years
5
a
: 12 months that constitute a measure of age or duration
her 21st year
The twins are two years old.
often used in combination
two-year-old twins
a six-year-old dog
The winner is a 16-year-old from Kentucky.
b
years plural : age
wise beyond her years
also : the final stage of the normal life span
6
: a period of time (such as the usually 9-month period in which a school is in session) other than a calendar year

Examples of year in a Sentence

I haven't seen her in a year. He quit smoking six years ago. The job pays $45,000 a year. She renews her lease every year. We see them once or twice a year. It feels like we've been standing in line for a year. That team hasn't won in years. It's been years since I've been on an airplane. The work should be done by the end of the year. She was born in the year 1967.
Recent Examples on the Web Oh was charged with indecent assault in 2022 after an unidentified actress filed a misconduct complaint against him the previous year. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 William said in his address on Thursday night that 50,000 people had received the Diana Award over the past 25 years. Rob Picheta, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 But no matter the billing or the anniversary year or the band, The Lone Bellow’s decade-plus longevity is worth celebrating. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 OpenAI is racing to bring down the prohibitively high cost of its latest breakthrough, text-to-video tool Sora, but acknowledged its potential to spread misinformation during a crucial election year would affect its commercial launch plans. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 At nearly 91, Willie Nelson has performed on stage with just about every notable musician of the past 70 years. Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024 Built new in 2019, the house was first offered with an optimistic asking price of nearly $13 million, but lingered on the market for more than three years. James McClain, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Co-Production Evolves For years, co-production has been at the industry heart of Series Mania. John Hopewell, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 The two have been dating for almost a year and are now living together in North Carolina. Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'year.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English yere, from Old English gēar; akin to Old High German jār year, Greek hōros year, hōra season, hour

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of year was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near year

Cite this Entry

“Year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/year. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

year

noun
1
: the period of about 365¼ days required for the earth to make one complete trip around the sun
2
: a period of 365 days or in leap year 366 days beginning January 1
3
: a period of time usually shorter than a calendar year
a school year of nine months
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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