December

noun De·cem·ber \di-ˈsem-bər, dē-\

: the 12th and last month of the year

Full Definition of DECEMBER

: the 12th month of the Gregorian calendar

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Origin of DECEMBER

Middle English Decembre, from Old English or Anglo-French, both from Latin December (tenth month), from decem ten — more at ten

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with DECEMBER

dismember, November, remember, September, web member

DECEMBER Defined for Kids

December

noun De·cem·ber \di-ˈsem-bər\

Definition of DECEMBER for Kids

: the twelfth month of the year

Word History of DECEMBER

The earliest Roman calendar had only ten months and began with the month of March. The tenth and last month was called in Latin December, a word which combines the Latin words for “ten” (decem), “month” (mens), and a final word-forming element -ri-. The name was kept—and eventually borrowed by English—after December became the last of twelve Roman months.

Learn More About DECEMBER

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "December"

Nglish: Translation of "December" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "December" for Arabic speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "December"

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