august
adjective
inspiring reverence or admiration; of supreme dignity or grandeur; majestic.
august
1 American
[aw-guhst]
/ ɔˈgʌst /
August
2
American
[aw-guhst]
/ ˈɔ gəst /
august
1
British
/ ɔːˈɡʌst /
adjective
-
dignified or imposing
an august presence
-
of noble birth or high rank
an august lineage
August
2
British
/ ˈɔːɡəst /
noun
Usage
What is August? August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days and is between July and September. In the Northern Hemisphere August is known as a middle month of the summer season. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is a middle month of the winter season. Among the holidays that happen in August are several independence days. August 1 is Benin’s and Switzterland’s, August 13 is the Central African Republic’s, and August 24 is Ukraine’s, to name just a few. As an adjective, august describes something or someone who is majestic or who inspires admiration, as in Playing the part of the queen, Pramila wore an august crown that could be seen from the back row. Example: I get the back-to-school blues as soon as August begins.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of august1
First recorded in 1590–1600; from French, Middle French auguste, from Latin augustus “sacred, grand,” akin to augēre “to increase” and augur 1 ( def. ); see also eke 1
Origin of August2
before 1100; Middle English < Latin Augustus (named after Augustus. ); replacing Old English Agustus < Latin, as above
Explanation
August is not just the eighth month of the year; it also describes something esteemed or regal. The 200-year-old newspaper covering the royal wedding might be called an august institution. The month August was named for Augustus Caesar who was an important and regal person. This is an easy way to remember the two meanings. Interestingly enough, linguists think that the word august did not descend from the same root as the month August. Find that hard to believe? August sources disagree. Oh, and don't forget to pronounce each word properly — the month has the accent on the first syllable, the adjective on the second.
Vocabulary lists containing august
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor
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Mythology
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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.
See Examples For:
There’s almost no authority figure or august body in our society in which most people have confidence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 29, 2025
Newspaper editorials, of course, rarely have much impact, especially these days, when no newspaper, not even the Times, struts the stage of mass media with the august authority it once held.
From Slate ● Dec. 19, 2025
The prolific author also serves as a kind of cultural commissar, heading the government’s publishing house, El Fondo de Cultura Económica, which has published 10,000-plus titles across genres in its august, 90-year history.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2025
On 5 August, Peters took to X to announce the news: "I don't know how it gets better than this. See u at the eras tour on august 19th."
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2024
He peeked out at Major de Coverley for hours and marveled that someone so august had nothing more important to do.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Even with cooler conditions this week, the mean average temperature would need to be considerably below average for the last two weeks of August, to keep 2026 from surpassing the record set just last year.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Hours later, Seoul's military said the drills would wrap up on Friday, not on August 27 as originally planned.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
The drill will now conclude on 21 August, rather than 27 August as planned.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
So far, August accounts for 20% of all attacks on shipping in the war, which is now approaching its six-month mark.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
In August of 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place in front of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
