February
noun
ˈfe-brə-
How do you pronounce February?: Usage Guide
Dissimilation may occur when a word contains two identical or closely related sounds, resulting in the change or loss of one of them. This happens regularly in February, which is more often pronounced \ˈfe-b(y)ə-ˌwer-ē\ than \ˈfe-brə-ˌwer-ē\, though all of these variants are in frequent use and widely accepted. The \y\ heard from many speakers is not an intrusion but rather a common pronunciation of the vowel u after a consonant, as in January and annual.
Examples of February in a Sentence
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024
In February, a record 29 neighbors gathered on a rainy Saturday morning to collect trash throughout Garfield.
—Morgan Fischer, The Arizona Republic, 22 Apr. 2024
An analysis by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization found a relatively low 7.5% of units there were vacation rentals as of February 2023.
—Audrey McAvoy, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024
The artists nominated in February who didn’t go all the way this year are Mariah Carey, Eric B. & Rakim, Jane’s Addiction, Lenny Kravitz, Oasis, Sinéad O’Connor and Sade.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 22 Apr. 2024
In February this year, plans for Viacom18’s merger with Disney’s Star India in a deal estimated to be worth $8.5 billion, were confirmed.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Apr. 2024
The pool will have several amenities, including a family slide, a lily pad bridge, a zero-depth entry ramp, a climbing wall and a vortex, according to a February news release from Louisville Metro.
—The Courier-Journal, 22 Apr. 2024
The San Francisco Zoo is preparing to welcome giant pandas after Mayor London Breed asked China President Xi Jinping for them back in February.
—USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
Data from LinkedIn showed remote job listings in the U.K. had dipped 13% in the 12 months to February.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 22 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'February.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“February.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/February. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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February
noun
ˈfeb-rə-
Old English Februarius "February," from Latin Februarius "February," literally, "of Februa," from Februa "feast of cleansing"
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