Vendemiaire

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vend'emiaire \Ven`d['e]`miaire"\, n. [F., fr. L. vindemia
     vintage.]
     The first month of the French republican calendar, dating
     from September 22, 1792.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     Note: This calendar was substituted for the ordinary
           calendar, dating from the Christian era, by a decree of
           the National Convention in 1793. The 22d of September,
           1792, which had been fixed upon as the day of the
           foundation of the republic, was also the date of the
           new calendar. In this calendar, the year, which began
           at midnight of the day of the autumnal equinox, was
           divided into twelve months of thirty days, with five
           additional days for festivals, and every fourth year
           six. Each month was divided into three decades of ten
           days each, the week being abolished. The names of the
           months in their order were, Vend['e]miaire, Brumaire,
           Frimaire Nivose, Pluviose, Ventose, Germinal,
           Flor['e]al, Prairial, Messidor, Thermidor (sometimes
           called Fervidor), and Fructidor. This calendar was
           abolished December 31, 1805, and the ordinary one
           restored January 1, 1806.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Vendemiaire
       n : first month of the Revolutionary calendar (September and
           October); the month of the grape harvest