Arendatum

Arendatum is a term used primarily in fictional or speculative contexts to denote a unit of time or a timestamp within an imagined chronology. Unlike real-world time units, arendatum has no universally accepted length, and there is no standard definition that applies outside a given work or discussion. In different works, one arendatum may correspond to a day, a lunar cycle, or a variable interval defined by the author. As a result, the unit functions as a flexible tool for worldbuilding rather than a standardized measure.

The word appears to be coinage rather than a term from established languages, with suffix -datum suggesting reference to a given point or data. Its exact origin is unclear, and it is not used in formal science or linguistics.

Usage of arendatum is common in worldbuilding discussions, fan wikis, and speculative writing, where authors use it to scale events without committing to a real-world calendar. Because its length is defined by the creator, readers may encounter different meanings across works; this inconsistency is generally accepted as part of its fictional nature.

In practice, arendatum can serve as a narrative pacing device, a plotting shorthand for time elapsed, or a timestamp that anchors events in an imagined epoch. See also time unit, calendar, worldbuilding, speculative fiction.