The Britannica Dictionary
mobile search
Home
Ask the Editor
Word of the Day
Quizzes
Core Vocabulary
Browse the Dictionary
×
Britannica Homepage
Ask the Editor
Word of the Day
Quizzes
Core Vocabulary
Browse the Dictionary
The Britannica Dictionary
BC
1 ENTRIES FOUND:
BC
(abbreviation)
BC
abbreviation
or chiefly US
B.C.
BC
abbreviation
or chiefly US
B.C.
Britannica Dictionary definition of BC
before Christ
—
used to refer to the years that came before the birth of Jesus Christ
550
B.C
.
in the fifth century
B.C
. [=between the years 499 and 400
B.C.
]
[+] more examples
[-] hide examples
[+] Example sentences
[-] Hide examples
—
compare
a.d.
,
b.c.e.
,
c.e.
ASK THE EDITOR
What are the plural forms of
check-in
,
passerby
, and
spoonful
?
See the answer »
QUIZZES
Vocabulary Quiz
Test your word power
Take the Quiz »
Name That Thing
Take our visual quiz
Test Your Knowledge »
WORD OF THE DAY
gel
:
a thick substance that is like jelly and that is used in various products
Learn More »