Hilary term

Meaning

Noun

• The second term of the legal year, running from January to March or April, during which the upper courts of England and Wales, and Ireland, sit to hear cases.
• The second academic term of the universities of Oxford and Dublin, and other educational institutions, running from January to March. The term was modelled after the legal term, but does not begin and end on the same dates.

Origin

• Hilary + term. The name Hilary is from the Latin Hilarius ("Latin name of Saint Hilary of Poitiers"), hilarius, from hilarē, from hilaris, from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός ("cheerful, glad, happy, joyful, merry"), from ἵλαος. The feast day of Saint Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310 – c. 367), 13 January, occurs during this term.