secular games
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In ancient Rome the public games lasting three days and three nights that took place only once in an age (sceculurri), or period of 100 years.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “secular games” mean?
In ancient Rome the public games lasting three days and three nights that took place only once in an age (sceculurri), or period of 100 years.
Is “secular games” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.