O-lym'pi-ăd, n.

n. [Fr. olympiade, It. olimpiade, Pr. & Sp. olimpiada, Pg. olympiada, Lat. olympias, Gr. ὀλυμπιάς, ὀλυμπιάδος, from Ὄλυμπος, Olympus, a mountain in Macedonia.] A period of four years, reckoned from one celebration of the Olympic games to another, and constituting an important epoch in history and chronology. The olympiads were reckoned from the victory of Corœbus in the foot-race, which took place in the year 776 B. C.