December
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is December? December is the twelfth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days and is between November and January. In the Northern Hemisphere, winter begins in December, while in the Southern Hemisphere, summer begins. A solstice happens in December, often marked on December 21, although the actual day may be December 20, 21, or 22. A solstice is when the sun is the farthest from the Earth’s celestial equator. The Southern Hemisphere experiences its summer solstice, with the sun reaching the southernmost point on the celestial sphere. Naturally, the Northern Hemisphere experiences its winter solstice. Many holidays are celebrated in December, including the Budhhist Bodhi Day, the Jewish Hanukkah (though it can start in November), the Christian Christmas, and the African American Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, while Bodhi Day, Hanukkah, and Christmas are religious holidays, though many people celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas as cultural holidays. Example: December is my favorite month because I can finally take some time off work and be with my family.
Etymology
Origin of December
before 1000; Middle English decembre < Old French < Latin december (stem decembr- ) the tenth month of the early Roman year, apparently < *dec ( em ) -membri-, equivalent to decem ten + *-membri- < mens- month + -ri- suffix (with -sr- > -br- and assimilation of nasal)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The American joined the club in December to work with the women's first team and men's academy, full of excitement for the next step in her coaching career.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a G20 summit in December, in an interview released Saturday, as efforts intensify to end the conflict.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
Lawrence's bowling gives him an advantage when Jacob Bethell returns from a knee injury, probably leaving a choice between Jordan Cox and Emilio Gay for the first Test in South Africa in December.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
President Harry Truman made a bid to unify the warring forces, dispatching George Marshall to China in December 1945.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Things have escalated quickly—and frighteningly—for Filipinos in the weeks following the Japanese Army’s December 8 attack.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
