January: meaning, definitions and examples

❄️
Add to dictionary

january

 

[ ˈdʒæn.ju.ər.i ]

Context #1 | Noun

time period

The first month of the year, following December and preceding February. It has 31 days and is named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.

Synonyms

beginning of the year, first month.

Examples of usage

  • It's usually cold and snowy in January.
  • My birthday is in January.
  • Many people make New Year's resolutions in January.
Context #2 | Noun

personal name

A masculine given name of Latin origin, derived from the name of the Roman god Janus. It is commonly used in English-speaking countries.

Synonyms

Jan.

Examples of usage

  • January Jones is an American actress.
  • His name is January, but he goes by Jan.

Translations

Translations of the word "january" in other languages:

🇵🇹 janeiro

🇮🇳 जनवरी

🇩🇪 Januar

🇮🇩 Januari

🇺🇦 січень

🇵🇱 styczeń

🇯🇵 1月

🇫🇷 janvier

🇪🇸 enero

🇹🇷 ocak

🇰🇷 1월

🇸🇦 يناير

🇨🇿 leden

🇸🇰 január

🇨🇳 一月

🇸🇮 januar

🇮🇸 janúar

🇰🇿 қаңтар

🇬🇪 იანვარი

🇦🇿 yanvar

🇲🇽 enero

Etymology

The name January is derived from the Latin word 'Ianuarius', which means 'of Janus'. Janus was a Roman god of doorways, gates, beginnings, and transitions. The month of January was named after him because it represents the beginning of the new year. In ancient Roman calendars, January was not originally the first month, but it became so after the reform of the calendar by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. Since then, January has been known as the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.

See also: Jan.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,949, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.