noun
fortnight
FORT-night/ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/
A period of two weeks.
The bracket encloses fourteen daily squares, representing one complete fortnight.
Etymology
Literally “fourteen nights,” the word preserves an ancient Germanic practice of counting time by nights. Fourteen nights thus names a period of two weeks.
In context
By the time Marjorie had been a fortnight at Brackenfield, she had already caught the atmosphere of the place and considered herself a wellestablished member of the community. In the brief space of two weeks
More examples
- Your next appointment is in a fortnight.
- We rent the cabin for a fortnight each summer.
- A fortnight gives us enough time to finish.
Forms
fortnight · fortnights
fortnightly adjective — Happening or appearing every two weeks.
Similar words
- two weeks
- The usual American expression for the same length of time.