51Թ

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December

[ dih-sem-ber ]

noun

  1. the twelfth month of the year, containing 31 days. : Dec.


December

/ ɪˈɛə /

noun

  1. the twelfth and last month of the year, consisting of 31 days
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of December1

before 1000; Middle English decembre < Old French < Latin december (stem decembr- ) the tenth month of the early Roman year, apparently < *dec ( em ) -membri-, equivalent to decem ten + *-membri- < mens- month + -ri- suffix (with -sr- > -br- and assimilation of nasal)
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of December1

C13: from Old French decembre, from Latin december the tenth month (the Roman year originally began with March), from decem ten
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Between October and December last year, the UK economy grew a tiny 0.1% and the latest monthly data showed it shrank by the same amount in January.

From

She said after a series of relapses and months of treatment over the course of last year, she had received a stem cell transplant in December and had been declared cancer-free.

From

Juric was appointed as Russell Martin's successor on an 18-month deal in December but has won just two of his 16 matches.

From

After taking time to recover, Torres finally arrived in Tijuana in December, where she slept atop a cardboard box on the street while making repeated and increasingly dangerous attempts to enter the U.S.

From

Keith didn't want to sell the business or let Lloyds take a stake, but by December the bank called in its loans and Keith's business collapsed, with PwC paid to oversee the breakup.

From

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More About December

What isDecember?

December is the twelfth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days and is between November and January.

In the Northern Hemisphere, winter begins in December, while in the Southern Hemisphere, summer begins.

A solstice happens in December, often marked on December 21, although the actual day may be December 20, 21, or 22. A solstice is when the sun is the farthest from the Earth’s celestial equator. The Southern Hemisphere experiences its summer solstice, with the sun reaching the southernmost point on the celestial sphere. Naturally, the Northern Hemisphere experiences its winter solstice.

Many holidays are celebrated in December, including the Budhhist Bodhi Day, the Jewish Hanukkah (though it can start in November), the Christian Christmas, and the African American Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, while Bodhi Day, Hanukkah, and Christmas are religious holidays, though many people celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas as cultural holidays.

Example: December is my favorite month because I can finally take some time off work and be with my family.

Where doesDecember come from?

The first records of the word December come from before 1000. It ultimately comes from the Latin December, meaning “tenth month.”

In the 10-month Roman calendar, which started with March, December was the tenth month. When Julius Caesar took control of Rome, he changed the length of some months and added new ones because January was falling in autumn due to the calendar’s inaccuracies. He added Quintilis, later to become July (named after Julius), and Sextilis, which would later become August (named after Augustus Caesar). This is how December went from being the tenth month to the twelfth. Our Gregorian calendar is based on this Julius calendar.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to December?

  • Dec. (abbreviation)

What are some words that share a root or word element with December?

What are some words that often get used in discussing December?

How isDecember used in real life?

Many countries and cultures celebrate a holiday in December.

Try usingDecember!

True or False?

December is named after the Latin word for ten.

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