December

noun

De·​cem·​ber di-ˈsem-bər How to pronounce December (audio)
dē-
: the 12th month of the Gregorian calendar

Examples of December in a Sentence

Her birthday is in late December. This December was not as cold as the past few Decembers have been.
Recent Examples on the Web Krekorian leaves office in December, due to term limits. — SELF-INFLICTED WOUND: The City Council approved its bummer budget for 2024-25, eliminating about 1,700 vacant positions at various city agencies. —Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2024 However, Khloé called off the engagement that December after it was revealed that Thompson had fathered a son with Maralee Nichols. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 25 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for December 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'December.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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 the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of December was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near December

decem-

December

Decembrist

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Cite this Entry

“December.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/December. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

December

noun
De·​cem·​ber di-ˈsem-bər How to pronounce December (audio)
: the twelfth month of the year
Etymology

Middle English Decembre, December "last month of the year," from early French decembre (same meaning), from Latin December, literally, "tenth month," from decem "ten" — related to decimal, dime

Word Origin
In the first calendar used by the ancient Romans, the year began with the month of March. The Romans called the tenth month of the year December, using the Latin word decem, meaning "ten." When the word was borrowed into early French, it became decembre. That was also how it was first spelled when it came into Middle English. In time, however, the English word was changed to match the original Latin in spelling and in having a capital letter.

More from Merriam-Webster on December

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about December

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