December

American  

[dih-sem-ber] / dɪˈsɛm bər /

noun

1. the twelfth month of the year, containing 31 days. Dec.

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December British  

/ dɪˈsɛmbə /

noun

1. the twelfth and last month of the year, consisting of 31 days

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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

CoreWeave expanded its AI cloud capacity agreement with Meta Platforms for about $21 billion through December 2032.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

These offences occurred between December 2022 and April 2025.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

In December 2023, he said the company was working on a low-cost EV that would be made in “very high” volume.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Meta had 78,865 workers as of December 2025.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

From August to December 1942, just after the issue of Stalin’s Order 227, the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment was based in the Caucasus Mountains, for their harassment missions in their open-cockpit Po-2 planes.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein