Definition:

Roman Calendar Terminology >

Kalends is the name the Romans gave to the first day of the month, which was supposed to be the day of the new moon. While the Kalends were always the first day of the month, the other two named days, the Ides and the Nones, were not always on the same day of the month. The Kalends was on the new moon, the Ides on the full moon, and the Nones between the two.

The longest period of the month -- roughly two weeks -- fell between the full moon and the start of the new month.

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The English word calendar is derived from the Latin Kalends.

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