Metonic cycle

noun

A particular approximate common multiple of the tropical year and the synodic month; in other words, the 19-year period over which the lunar phases occur on the same dates.

“According to the Metonic cycle, a lunar calendar begins on the same solar date every 19 years.”

Similar
enneadecaeterislunar cycle
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Meanings

nounMetonic cycle (plural Metonic cycles)

plural Metonic cycles

  1. calendar studiesastronomyA particular approximate common multiple of the tropical year and the synodic month; in other words, the 19-year period over which the lunar phases occur on the same dates.

    According to the Metonic cycle, a lunar calendar begins on the same solar date every 19 years.

    Synonyms: enneadecaeteris, lunar cycle

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA particular approximate common multiple of the tropical year and the synodic month; in other words, the 19-year period over which the lunar phases occur on the same dates.

Similar
enneadecaeterislunar cycle

Translations

Chinese 默冬章
  • 默冬章 (mòdōngzhāng)Translations
French cycle métonique
  • cycle métoniqueTranslations
German Metonischer Zyklus
  • Metonischer ZyklusTranslations
Greek Μετωνικός κύκλος
  • Μετωνικός κύκλος (Metonikós kýklos)Translations
Irish ciogal gealaí
  • ciogal gealaíTranslations
Japanese メトン周期
  • メトン周期Translations
Latin cyclus Metonicus
  • cyclus MetonicusTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

Metonic cycle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Metonic%20cycle

MLA

“Metonic cycle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Metonic%20cycle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Metonic cycle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Metonic%20cycle.

Source: Metonic cycle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.