A.D. stands for anno domini, Latin for “in the year of the lord,” and refers specifically to the birth of Jesus Christ. B.C. stands for before Christ. In English, it is common for A.D. to precede the year, so that the translation of A.D.

What is the difference between BC and AD?

Standardized under the Julian and Georgian calendar, AD stands for Anno Domini which is a Latin term for “Year of our Lord” and is used as a label for measuring the years after Jesus Christ was born, while on the other hand, BC stands for measuring the years Before Christ.

Which is older BC or AD?

There is no zero year -- in this system, the year Christ was born is 1 A.D., and the year preceding it is 1 B.C. This practice was first suggested in the sixth century A.D., and was adopted by the pope of that time. It took quite a while for it to become a worldwide standard, however.