December

[ dih-sem-ber ]

noun

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

December

/ dɪˈsɛmbə /

noun

1. the twelfth and last month of the year, consisting of 31 days

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)

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

Example Sentences

The Interior Department in 2023 began the process of developing long-term operating guidelines to replace rules that expire in December 2026.

From Los Angeles Times

Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men have been on trial since September, and a verdict is expected on 20 December.

From BBC

His Chicago shows have been postponed to December.

From Los Angeles Times

The final determination of how much water companies can charge their customers for the next five years is expected on 19 December.

From BBC

MrBeast, the world's most popular YouTuber, will launch Beast Games on Amazon Prime Video on 19 December, although that show has been at the centre of controversy.

From BBC

More About December

What is December?

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 does December 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? 

• Decembrist
• decemvir

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

• winter
• Christmas
• summer

How is December used in real life?

Many countries and cultures celebrate a holiday in December.

❄️ HAPPY DECEMBER 1ST! *covers you in tinsel* ❄️

— Phil Lester (@AmazingPhil) December 1, 2015

Motorsport video comes out December 1st💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾 I can’t wait to see it

— Cardi B (@iamcardib) November 24, 2017

Super Bowl announced attendance is 70,081. MLS Cup attendance in December was 73,019.

— Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) February 4, 2019

 

Try using December!

True or False? 

December is named after the Latin word for ten.