What Do the Terms
B.C. and A.D. Mean?
The term B.C. (Before Christ) refers to time
measured before the birth of Jesus Christ. A.D.,
probably introduced about 1,500 years ago, is an abbreviation
of the Latin words “anno Domini,” or “in
the year of our Lord.” A.D. refers to time
measured after the year of Jesus Christ’s birth, starting
with the year zero. Contemporary alternatives to these terms
are B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) and C.E.
(Common Era); the term “Common Era” itself is a
modern version of the older term “Christian Era.”
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