February
proper nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈfɛb.ɹʊ.ə.ɹi//
- United Kingdom//ˈfɛb.j(ʊ.)ə.ɹi//
- United Kingdom//ˈfɛb.ɹə.ɹi//
The short month following January and preceding March in the Roman, Julian, and Gregorian calendars, used in all three calendars for intercalation or addition of leap days.
proper noun
- 1
The short month following January and preceding March in the Roman, Julian, and Gregorian calendars, used in all three calendars for intercalation or addition of leap days.
Holonyms: calendar year; year
Susan was born on February 29.
“Eating meat means prosperity in the coming year,” the roastery wrote on Weibo on February 5, days before the Lunar New Year began.
- 2
rareA female given name transferred from the month name [in turn from English].
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰ-der. Latin februum Latin Februa Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -arius Latin Februāriusder. Middle English Februarie English February From Middle English Februarie, februari, februare, from Latin Februārius (“the month of the Februa”), from Februa (“the Purgings, the Purifications”), a Roman holiday two days after its ides (i.e., Feb. 15), + -arius (“-ary: forming adjectives”). Februa from februum (“purging”), from an earlier Sabine [Term?] word, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“smoke, haze”) and thus cognate with thio- (“sulfurous”) and Ancient Greek θεῖον (theîon, “sulfur”) or from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰris, an extension of the root *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn”) and thus cognate with fever and febris. A relatinization abandoning Middle English feoverel, from Old French feverier, which itself displaced Old English solmōnaþ (“mud month”).
Forms
- plural
- Februaries, Februarys
February · The short month following January and preceding March in the Roman, Julian, and Gregorian calendars, used in all three calendars for intercalation or…
feces · Digested waste material (typically solid or semi-solid)…fed · A federal government officer or official.FED · Federal Reserve System. Alternative spelling of Fed.