What does 'fortnight' mean?

Question

Accepted Answer

**What it means:** Two weeks, or fourteen nights. "I'll be away for a fortnight" = I'll be away for two weeks. "A fortnight ago" = two weeks ago.

**Where it comes from:** Old English "feowertyne niht" — fourteen nights. Medieval time was often measured in nights rather than days. The word survived in British English; American English dropped it.

**Why Americans don't use it:** No particular reason — the word simply fell out of use in American English. Americans say "two weeks" where British speakers might say "a fortnight."

**Common uses:**
- "In a fortnight's time" = in two weeks
- "A fortnightly meeting" = every two weeks
- "Once a fortnight" = every two weeks

**Register:** Standard British English — not informal, not formal, just neutral. Used comfortably in professional and casual contexts.

**Tags:** British English, time, vocabulary, American vs British