January
proper nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈd͡ʒæn.jʊ.ə.ɹi//
- United Kingdom//ˈd͡ʒæn.jə.ɹi//
- United States//ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌɛɹi//
- United States//ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌæɹi//
- Australia//ˈd͡ʒæn.jʉˌeːɹi//
The first month of the Gregorian calendar, following the December of the previous year and preceding February.
proper noun
- 1
The first month of the Gregorian calendar, following the December of the previous year and preceding February.
Holonyms: calendar year; year
01/01/09 : Thursday, 1st January(,) 2009.
American style: Thursday, January 1st, 2009.
I hate Januarys: it's always too cold.
- 2
rareA female given name transferred from the month name [in turn from English].
“Hi, January!” Lynn calls. “Happy birthday!”
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *yeh₂-der. Latin iānus Latin Iānus Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -ārius Latin Iānuāriusder. Anglo-Norman geneverbor. Middle English Janevere Middle English Januarie English January From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), a compound of Iānus ("Janus") + -ārius (adjectival suffix), with the first element perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeh₂- (“to go”). Doublet of Gennaro.
Forms
- plural
- Januaries, Januarys
January · The first month of the Gregorian calendar, following the December of the previous year and preceding February.
jap · To carry out a sneak attack upon (something or somebody).Jap · A Japanese person.japan · A hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt.