Fwd: "octodesexcentenary, adj." - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

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Date: Thu, 8 Aug 2013 01:30:00 +0100
Subject: "octodesexcentenary, adj." - Word of the Day from the OED
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OED Online Word of the Day

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Your word for today is: octodesexcentenary, adj.

octodesexcentenary, adj.
[‘ Designating a period of 592 years.’]
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˌɒktə(ʊ)deɪˌsɛksɛnˈtiːn(ə)ri/,
/ˌɒktə(ʊ)deɪˌsɛksɛnˈtɛn(ə)ri/,  U.S. /ˈˌɑktoʊˌdeɪˌsɛksɛnˈtɛnəri/,
/ˈˌɑktoʊˌdeɪˌsɛk(s)ˈsɛntnˌɛri/, /ˈˌɑkdoʊˌdeɪˌsɛksɛnˈtɛnəri/,
/ˈˌɑkdoʊˌdeɪˌsɛk(s)ˈsɛntnˌɛri/
Etymology: <  post-classical Latin octodesexcentenarius (1621 in
Thomas Lydiat: see quots. 1677, 1992), probably a blend of classical
Latin octo dē sexcentīs eight from six hundred ( <  octo eight (see
octo- comb. form) + dē from (see de- prefix) + sexcentīs, ablative of
sexcentī six hundred: see sexcentenary adj. and n.) and centēnārius
centenary adj.
 Now hist. rare.
  Designating a period of 592 years.
The figure of 592 arose in connection with a lunisolar calendar
devised by Thomas Lydiat, based on a year beginning at the vernal
equinox and comprising six months of 30 days followed by six of 29
days, with occasional extra days or months
1677  R Plot Nat. Hist. Oxford-shire 222 [Thomas Lydiat] first
contrived the Octodesexcentenary Period. [Cf. 223: So that the whole
period, or 592 Lydiatean years, do anticipate so many Julian ones by
five days.]
1992  M. H. Nicolson Conway Lett. 516 [Lydiat] Chronologer and first
contriver of the octodesexcentenary period.

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