dignified or imposing
an august presence
of noble birth or high rank
an august lineage
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.
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
before 1100; Middle English < Latin Augustus (named after Augustus. ); replacing Old English Agustus < Latin, as above
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.
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Carney’s brainchild barely registered, in part because he floated it the same week of August 2019 that news broke of another outrageous proposal that at first seemed like a joke: Trump wanted to buy Greenland.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
Alas, that isn’t likely to happen, so we can only look forward to Oliver’s next daytime trip in August.
From Salon • Jul. 7, 2026
Reform sources have said they want the election to take place quickly and under parliamentary rules it could be scheduled as early as August.
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026
No sooner had Artan landed at home in Somalia last month than Uefa announced he had been invited to referee the Uefa Super Cup between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Then there come a scorcher of a day in August.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
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.
