A fortnight is a unit of time equal to 14 days (2 weeks). The word comes from the Old English: fēowertyne niht, meaning "fourteen nights".[1][2] Some wages and salaries are paid every fortnight; however, in North America it is more common to use the term biweekly. Neither of these terms should be confused with semimonthly.
In astronomy, a lunar fortnight is half a synodic month, equal to the mean period between a full moon and a new moon (and vice versa). This is equal to 14.77 days.[3][4]
A fortnight is a word that is commonly used in sporting communities. Many big sports events have a two-week or around a half-month time frame. In tennis, Wimbledon and the other Grand Slam tournaments are played over two weeks and are often referred to as lasting a fortnight. The Summer and Winter Olympics are also slightly longer than two weeks and may be called a fortnight as well. Various other events in the sporting world may last around a fortnight.