Hilary Term is the second academic term of Oxford University's and Dublin University's academic year. It runs from January to March and is so named because the feast day of St Hilary of Poitiers, 14 January, falls during this term. All the other terms are dated from this day in the following way:

• Michaelmas term ? 13 Sundays before to 5 Sundays before the feast day of St Hilary
• Hilary term ? 1 Sunday to 9 Sundays after the feast day of St Hilary
• Trinity term ? 15 Sundays to 21 Sundays after the feast day of St Hilary

The term originated in the legal system. The Courts of England and Wales divide the legal year into four terms: Hilary, Easter, Trinity and Michaelmas.

References

• Oxford University: Dates of Full Terms
• Oxford University: Regulations on the number and lengths of terms

See also

• Michaelmas term
• Epiphany term (the equivalent of Hilary term at Durham University)
• Lent term (the equivalent of Hilary term at Cambridge, Lancaster, LSE, and Lampeter)
• Trinity term
• Easter term