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A.D.

A.D.

2.8
Put before a year to show the date is after Jesus's birth
  • adverb
  • /ˌeɪˈdi/
translation icon : d.C.
  • The Roman Empire fell in A.D. 476.

Examples

  • The manuscript dates back to A.D. 780, making it over a thousand years old.

  • The Roman Empire was at its peak around A.D. 100.

  • The temple was constructed in A.D. 350 by the local king.

  • In A.D. 1000, many believed the world would end.

  • The manuscript dates back to A.D. 780, making it over a thousand years old.

  • The Roman Empire was at its peak around A.D. 100.

  • In A.D. 1000, many believed the world would end.

Synonyms

year of our Lord
vsA.D.
  • Formal
6 8.2

The year in the Christian calendar used when writing dates like AD 1865

is the common abbreviated date marker used in writing
AD
vsA.D.
1.0

Put before a year to show it is after the birth of Jesus

is the same abbreviation written with periods
anno Domini
vsA.D.
8.2

To show a year is after the birth of Christ

is an abbreviated form rather than the full Latin phrase
year of grace
vsA.D.
  • Archaic
9.5

A year counted since the birth of Jesus, used in formal or historical dates

is the standard historical abbreviation used in ordinary dates
C.E.
vsA.D.
3.9

Used to mark years in the Common Era, like A.D

is the explicitly Christian abbreviation preferred in religious contexts
CE
vsA.D.
4.2

Years counted from year 1 in the calendar used today

is the traditional label that refers to the birth of Christ

Surface Forms

A.D. positive

Etymology

A.D. comes from the Latin phrase Anno Domini, which means 'in the year of the Lord'. So, when we put A.D. before a year we are counting years 'in the year of the Lord', that is, from the traditional birth of Jesus.