What is a Leap Year? Definition, Types, Examples & Uses

What is a Leap Year?

Subject: Static GK (General Knowledge)

Book: General Time Knowledge

A leap year is a year containing one additional day, added to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year or seasonal year. In the Gregorian calendar, a leap year occurs every four years, but there are exceptions for years divisible by 100 but not by 400. Many people search for leap year rules when calculating future birthdays or anniversaries. This extra day, February 29, helps realign our calendar with Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The concept dates back centuries and remains critical for maintaining long-term accuracy of civil calendars worldwide.