First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
January
noun Jan·u·ary \ˈjan-yə-ˌwer-ē, -ˌwe-rē\
: the first month of the year
plural Jan·u·ar·ies or Jan·u·ar·ys
Full Definition of JANUARY
: the first month of the Gregorian calendar
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See January defined for kids
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Origin of JANUARY
Middle English Januarie, from Latin Januarius, 1st month of the ancient Roman year, from Janus
Rhymes with JANUARY
actuary, adversary, airy-fairy, ancillary, antiquary, apiary, arbitrary, aviary, axillary, bacillary, beriberi, bestiary, biliary, black raspberry, Bloody Mary, boysenberry, breviary, budgetary, calamari, calamary, candleberry, Canterbury, capillary, carpellary, cassowary, catenary, cautionary, cavitary, cemetery, centenary, certiorari, checkerberry, chinaberry, cometary, commentary, commissary, condottiere, coralberry, corollary, coronary, culinary, customary, dictionary, dietary, dignitary, dromedary, dysentery, elderberry, emissary, estuary, farkleberry, February, formulary, fragmentary, fritillary, functionary, funerary, honorary, huckleberry, intermarry, janissary, lamasery, lapidary, lectionary, legendary, legionary, lingonberry, literary, loganberry, luminary, mammillary, mandatary, maxillary, medullary, mercenary, miliary, military, millenary, milliary, millinery, missionary, momentary, monastery, mortuary, necessary, ordinary, ossuary, partridgeberry, pensionary, pigmentary, planetary, Pondicherry, prebendary, presbytery, pulmonary, quaternary, red mulberry, reliquary, rowanberry, salivary, salmonberry, salutary, sanctuary, sanguinary, sanitary, secondary, secretary, sedentary, seminary, silverberry, solitary, sour cherry, stationary, stationery, statuary, subcontrary, sublunary, sugarberry, sumptuary, syllabary, temporary, tertiary, thimbleberry, Tipperary, Tom and Jerry, topiary, tributary, tutelary, Typhoid Mary, unitary, urinary, vestiary, Virgin Mary, visionary, voluntary, vulnerary, Waterbury, whortleberry, winterberry
JANUARY Defined for Kids
January
noun Jan·u·ary \ˈjan-yə-ˌwer-ē\
Definition of JANUARY for Kids
: the first month of the year
Word History of JANUARY
The Latin month name Januarius, from which we get the word January, was associated by the ancient Romans with their god Janus. Janus was a god of doorways and gates (in Latin, janua), and also of beginnings, so the name seems appropriate for the first month of the year. Curiously, however, the early Roman calendar began with March, not January, so the origin of the Latin name is somewhat mysterious.
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