Calendars and time

Anno Domini

Direct answer

Anno Domini is the Latin-era label meaning in the year of the Lord, used for years counted in the traditional Christian era.

Anno Domini, abbreviated AD, labels years in the traditional Christian era.

Calendars & TimekeepingThe Great Almanac DictionaryUpdated 2026-09-26

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At a glance

Found in: Calendars & Timekeeping
Related: Indiction, Common Era, Calendar, Julian Date

An engraved clock movement with an hourglass and a sundial — Calendar and clock · visual guide **Anno Domini**
Anno Domini, abbreviated AD, labels years in the traditional Christian era.
A cycle or timeline schematic for comparing the named timekeeping concept.

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The story behind Anno Domini

Dionysius Exiguus developed the era in late antiquity, and its use spread gradually through medieval Europe.

Why Anno Domini matters

Understanding AD is necessary for historical chronology and for the no-year-zero transition from 1 BC to AD 1.

Where readings of Anno Domini go wrong

A common error is to assume AD notation was used contemporaneously in every region or that its calculated epoch is a precisely documented birth date.

Sources and editorial method

Research references used for this entry include:

U.S. Naval Observatory: Introduction to Calendars - Official overview of calendar systems, leap rules, eras, and historical calendar reform.

Source: The Great Almanac Dictionary
Category: Calendars & Timekeeping
Last updated: 2026-09-26

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IndictionAn Indiction labels a year position within a repeating fifteen-year cycle. Common EraCommon Era uses the same numbered years as AD under the label CE. CalendarA Calendar organizes days into named and numbered cycles for reckoning time. Julian DateJulian Date is a continuous astronomical count of days and day fractions. Coordinated Universal TimeCoordinated Universal Time is the international reference standard for world time. Sidereal TimeSidereal Time is star-based rotational time used to orient the sky.

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