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

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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.
Frieze London will mark his third fair this year after last showing at one in January 2020. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 The Golden Globes will also be done and dusted with its 2027 ceremony set for January 10. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026 In January 2025, the federal government employed more than 3 million people. — Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026 In January, 1976, the Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai, a beloved political figure, died. — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 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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