February

American  

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

noun

Februaries plural

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

---

February British  

/ ˈfɛbrʊərɪ /

noun

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

---

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Februaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of February

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

February Februaries

“LAUSD has done exactly what the law prohibits,” Beutner alleged in a lawsuit filed in February 2025.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Relations between India and Bangladesh, strained under the interim administration that took power after Hasina's fall, have stabilised since Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Niesr also said on Wednesday it expects inflation to keep rising until February 2027, peaking at 3.8% before falling back to the Bank of England's 2% target.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

The U.K.’s annual rate of inflation has fallen despite the conflict in the Middle East pushing energy prices sharply higher since it began in late February.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

February came and went, and not even the March winds could bring news of Masterji Thakur's whereabouts.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

But there is a weak correlation between warm Februaries, like we’ve seen this year, and early peak blooms.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 28, 2023

Los Angeles International Airport and Paso Robles Airport both received a trace of precipitation, tying with their driest Februaries on record.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2020

That wet and chilly February we endured was good news for the state’s snowpack: In previous years, warmer than usual Februaries have wreaked havoc with snowpack.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 21, 2017

We had better get used to more Februaries and Marches like we’ve experienced.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2017

Before the end of the month we find him taking pleasure, as in earlier Februaries, in the song of the thrush, which portends, he hopes, an end of the north-east wind.

From Life of John Keats His Life and Poetry, his Friends, Critics and After-fame by Colvin, Sidney