What is "hilary term"

Hilary term \Hil"a*ry term`\ Formerly, one of the four terms of the courts of common law in England, beginning on the eleventh of January and ending on the thirty-first of the same month, in each year; -- so called from the festival of St. Hilary, January 13th.

Note: The Hilary term is superseded by the Hilary sittings, which commence on the eleventh of January and end on the Wednesday before Easter.
--Mozley & W.

Hilary term is the second academic term of the Universities of Oxford and Dublin 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 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.

At the University of Oxford, following the resolution made by Council on 8 May 2002, Hilary Term begins on and includes 7 January and ends on and includes 25 March or the Saturday before Palm Sunday, whichever is the earlier. In Hilary Term, as in Michaelmas Term and in Trinity Term, there is a period of eight weeks known as Full Term, beginning on a Sunday, within which lectures and other instruction prescribed by statute or regulation are given. The dates on which each Full Term will begin and end in the next academic year but one are published by the Registrar in the University Gazette during Hilary Term.