fortnight
Quick Summary
A fortnight is a period of 14 days, equivalent to two weeks. The term originates from Old English "fēowertēne niht," meaning "fourteen nights". This grouping of 14 days is derived from the Teutonic practice of counting nights. The word "fortnightly" can be used as an adverb to describe something that occurs every fortnight, or as a noun referring to a publication issued every two weeks.1234
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
4 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
