Olympiad etymology

Etymology:

The word "Olympiad" comes from the Greek word "Olympias" (Ὀλυμπιάς), which referred to a four-year period encompassing the Olympic Games.

Meaning:

An Olympiad is a period of four consecutive years, traditionally starting with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and ending with the closing ceremony four years later.

Origin:

The concept of the Olympiad originated in ancient Greece with the Olympic Games, which were held every four years in the city of Olympia. The first recorded Olympiad was in 776 BC, and the tradition continued for over 1,000 years, until the games were banned by Emperor Theodosius I in 393 AD.

Uses:

Today, the term "Olympiad" is used to:

  • Denote a four-year period in the modern Olympic Games cycle.
  • Measure time in relation to the Olympic Games, e.g., "the 32nd Olympiad" refers to the period from the 2020 Tokyo Games to the 2024 Paris Games.
  • In a general sense, to refer to a period of time or a significant event that occurs every four years.

Olympiad relate terms

  • Olympic

    Etymology The word Olympic is derived from the Greek word Olympia which is the name

  • Olympus

  • period

    Etymology The word period comes from the Middle English word periode which itself

  • tattoo

    Etymology The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tatau which means to strike

  • knight

    Etymology Middle English knyght from Old English cniht Proto West Germanic knehtaz

  • solstice

    Etymology The word solstice is derived from the Latin word solstitium which means s

  • slander

    Etymology The word slander is derived from the Old French term esclandre which means

  • insidious

    Etymology The word insidious is derived from the Latin word insidiosus meaning craf

  • family

    Etymology The word family comes from the Old French word famille which in turn deriv

  • organization

    Etymology Meaning and Origin of Organization Etymology The word organization is d

  • deceit

    Etymology The word deceit originates from the Old French word deceit which in turn c

  • rosary

    Etymology The word rosary comes from the Latin rosarium which means rose garden