\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
◄     December     ►
SMTWTFS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Archive RSS
SPONSORED LINKS
BY ONLINE AUTHORS
Printed from https://writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/901074
Item Icon
\"Reading Printer Friendly Page Tell A Friend
(4)
Rated: E · Book · Educational · #2105953
One hundred facts that are interesting but ultimately useless.
<<< Previous · Entry List · Next >>>
#901074 added January 5, 2017 at 3:48am
Restrictions: None
"Calendar"
"Calendar"
- etymology / history -

​​​​The word "calendar" derives from the Latin term "kalendae" (or "calends" in Middle English). In the old Roman calendar, the day of the new moon was known as the calends, and signified the start of a new month. When calendar reform desynchronized the months from the lunar cycle, the calends remained as the first day of each month, regardless of the moon phase.

Several modern languages retain the phrase "Greek calends" based on a Latin expression; the Ancient Greeks didn't observe a calends, so the Greek calends was a day that would never actually arrive. "It will be done on the Greek calends" would be comparable to saying "I'll do it on the 12th of Never."


#004
2 *Thumbsupl*  Like • Comment

© Copyright 2017 BD Mitchell (UN: anigh at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
BD Mitchell has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
<<< Previous · Entry List · Next >>>
Printed from https://writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/901074