January

noun

Jan·​u·​ary ˈjan-yə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce January (audio)
-ˌwe-rē
plural Januaries or Januarys
: the first month of the Gregorian calendar

Examples of January in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Now, after oral arguments in January, the laws will be protected. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 In January, the FBI flagged the group and sent some of the evidence, including over half a dozen videos, to local law enforcement, prosecutors said. — Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 30 June 2026 In this case, DOJ failed to take any action or even identify an attorney working on the suit from the day it was filed in January until it was dismissed on May 18. — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 December 22 – January 19 By afternoon, priorities line up with patience. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for January

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Januarie, from Latin Januarius, 1st month of the ancient Roman year, from Janus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of January was in the 14th century

Rhymes for January

See All Rhymes for January

Browse Nearby Words

janty
January
januis clausis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“January.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/January. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

January

noun
Jan·​u·​ary ˈjan-yə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce January (audio)
: the first month of the year
Etymology

from Latin Januarius "first month of the year," from Janus, a Roman god

Word Origin
Among the many gods worshipped by the ancient Romans was one named Janus. He was believed to have two faces, one looking forward and one looking back. Janus was associated with doors, gates, and all beginnings. Because of that, when the Romans changed their calendar and added two months to the beginning of the year, they named the first one Januarius to honor Janus. The English January comes from Latin Januarius.

More from Merriam-Webster on January

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about January

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