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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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Word 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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Word 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.

He’s been out of the limelight since right after that December 2023 surgery, which was followed by a second one the next month after he developed an infection.

From

As the industry publication Pig Progress noted in December, such facilities depend heavily on the very undocumented labor being targeted for mass deportations.

From

Reeves' register of interests show that on 27 December 2024 she received four tickets to the National Theatre with an estimated value of £276.

From

Romanians are returning to the polls this weekend, following the unprecedented cancellation of presidential elections last December which fuelled protests and nationwide turmoil.

From

Many speakers at the rally pointed to a union-led study last December that found the county spent billions on private firms, in what amounted to a “taxpayer-to-private-sector-pipeline.”

From

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More About December

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 ... ?

are some other forms related to December?

  • Dec. (abbreviation)

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

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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