Julian calendar

noun

Ju·​lian calendar ˈjül-yən- 

: a calendar introduced in Rome in 46 b.c. establishing the 12-month year of 365 days with each fourth year having 366 days and the months each having 31 or 30 days except for February which has 28 or in leap years 29 days compare gregorian calendar

Examples of Julian calendar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But in 1752, the government replaced the old Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar, with a more accurate solar calendar. —Ian King, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026

Eastern, or Orthodox, Christians, use a Julian calendar, while Western Christians, made up primarily of Roman Catholics and Protestants, use a Gregorian calendar (the calendar used in most parts of the world) to calculate their dates. —Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 4 Apr. 2026

Another origin story says the date arose in 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar, leaving behind the Julian calendar that had been used since the era of Julius Caesar. —Paula Soria, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026

Orthodox Easter has a slightly later range of possible dates because the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar instead, USA TODAY reported. —Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 30 Mar. 2026

Eastern Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar, which can place the date of Easter anywhere between April 4 and May 8 when it's converted back to the Gregorian calendar. —Carlie Procell, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026

Some dates differ for Eastern Orthodox churches, which follow the Julian calendar. —Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Mar. 2026

The dates differ because most Christians use the Gregorian calendar, originally introduced in 1582, while the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, introduced in 45 BC. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Feb. 2026

The dates differ because most Christians use the Gregorian calendar, originally introduced in 1582, while the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, introduced in 45 BC. —Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin julianus, from Gaius Julius Caesar

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Julian calendar

• calender
• kalendar

Kids Definition

Julian calendar

noun

Ju·​lian calendar ˌjül-yən- 

: a calendar introduced in Rome in 46 b.c. establishing the 12-month year of 365 days with each fourth year having 366 days and the months each having 31 or 30 days except for February which has 28 or in leap years 29 days compare gregorian calendar