Gregorian calendar

noun

: a calendar in general use introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a revision of the Julian calendar, adopted in Great Britain and the American colonies in 1752, marked by the suppression of 10 days or after 1700 11 days, and having leap years in every year divisible by four with the restriction that centesimal years are leap years only when divisible by 400 see Months of the Principal Calendars Table

Examples of Gregorian calendar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While Christians celebrate Christmas every year on Dec. 25, Jews can celebrate Hanukkah as early as November because Jewish holidays follow a mostly lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, which falls on different dates each year in the Gregorian calendar most Americans use in their everyday life, and lasts for eight days. —Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 14 Dec. 2025

The festival begins on 25 Kislev, in the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, thus its dates in the Gregorian calendar vary each year, typically falling in November or December. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 11 Dec. 2025

The Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle, so Hanukkah’s dates differ year to year from the standard-use Gregorian calendar’s date. —Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1771, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Gregorian calendar

• calender
• kalendar

Kids Definition

Gregorian calendar

noun

Gre·​go·​ri·​an calendar

gri-ˌgōr-ē-ən-, 

-ˌgȯr-

: a calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 and adopted in Great Britain and the American colonies in 1752 compare julian calendar