February

American  

[feb-roo-er-ee, feb-yoo‑] / ˈfɛb ruˌɛr i, ˈfɛb yu‑ /

noun

plural

Februaries

1. the second month of the year, ordinarily containing 28 days, but containing 29 days in leap years. Feb.

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February British  

/ ˈfɛbrʊərɪ /

noun

1. the second month of the year, consisting of 28 or (in a leap year) 29 days

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Pronunciation

Many people try to pronounce February with both sounds, as shown above. The common pronunciation , with the first replaced by , is the result of dissimilation, the tendency of like sounds to become unlike when they follow each other closely. An additional influence is analogy with January. Although sometimes criticized, this dissimilated pronunciation of February is used by educated speakers and is considered standard.

Usage

What does February mean? February is the second month of the calendar year. It follows January and is followed by March.It can be pronounced either FEB-roo-air-ee or FEB-yoo-air-ee. February is notable for being the shortest month of the year. It has 28 days, except during a leap year, when it has 29 due to the addition of a leap day. Every four years, a leap day is added to the end of February to adjust for the fact that the calendar is 365 days long but the Earth’s revolution around the sun actually takes 365 days and 6 hours.In the Northern Hemisphere, February is a winter month. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is a summer month.In the U.S. and some other countries, February is Black History Month. Several U.S. and international holidays also fall in February, including Groundhog Day on February 2, Valentine’s Day on February 14, and Presidents’ Day on the third Monday of February. The American football championship known as the Super Bowl is typically held in early February.Example: I was born on February 29, so I usually celebrate my birthday on February 28 on non-leap years.

Etymology

Origin of February

before 1000; Middle English; Old English Februarius < Latin Februārius (mēnsis) expiatory (month), derivative of februa (plural) expiatory offerings; -ary

Example Sentences

The company raised around $1.7 billion in additional funding, including an investment of more than $600 million from the Japanese government, in February after an initial, smaller fundraising at its founding in 2022.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

In the past year, the Goldman Sachs TMT Memory Exposed Index has risen 350%, Krinsky noted, and was up more than 400% at its peak in February.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

Moreno declined an interview request from The Times at the owners’ meetings in February.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

In February, Kennedy said the FDA acted illegally in 2023 when it categorized 19 peptides as too unsafe for compounders, whose final products aren’t tested or approved by the FDA.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Our goal was to be able to do that on February 20, 1962.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson