The civil year is a term that refers to the period during which a calendar is used as a basis for dating and reckoning time. It is generally synonymous with the term calendar year, which refers to a 12-month period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31. Other synonyms for civil year include legal year, ordinary year, and common year. The term fiscal year is also sometimes used interchangeably with civil year, but it typically refers to a 12-month period used for financial reporting purposes by businesses and governments. Overall, the civil year is an important concept in the measurement and organization of time and is used widely in many different fields.