January
Americannoun
plural
Januariesnoun
Usage
What does January mean? January is the first month of the calendar year. It has 31 days and is followed by February. It follows December, the twelfth and final month of the previous year. January is closely associated with its position at the beginning of the year. January 1 is known as New Year’s Day due to being the first day of the year. For many people, January is a time of making New Year’s resolutions—decisions to do something or make some change in the new year, especially to change or start some habit or behavior. For example, many people start new exercise routines or diets in January. In the Northern Hemisphere, January is a winter month. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is a summer month. In the U. S., the most notable holiday in January after New Year’s Day is Martin Luther King Day, which is observed on the third Monday of the month. The inaugurations of new U. S. presidents and members of Congress are also held in January. Example: People treat January as a time of new beginnings and life changes, but I like to remind them that they can do that during any month.
Etymology
Origin of January
before 1000; Middle English < Latin, noun use of Jānuārius, equivalent to Jānu ( s ) Janus + -ārius -ary; replacing Middle English Genever, Jeniver < Anglo-French, Old French Genever, Jenever < Latin, as above; replacing Old English Januarius < Latin
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.
In January 2022, the landfast sea ice in the embayment suddenly broke apart, likely due to powerful ocean swells that destabilized the region.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
Foley is accused of breaching the terms of a five-year stalking protection order, imposed at South Yorkshire Magistrates' Court in January, by shouting at fans queueing to see the star perform in London in April.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
As part of an antitrust settlement, Constellation Energy agreed to divest multiple power plants to close its acquisition of Calpine in January 2026.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
The government had not yet filed anything in the case, which was brought in January.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
In January 1943, Soviet soldiers managed to get control of the railway in and out of Leningrad, allowing a little relief for the desperate citizens of the city.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
