new year

American  

noun

1. the year approaching or newly begun.

2. New Year's Day.

3. (initial capital letters) the first day or few days of a year in any of various calendars.

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New Year British  

noun

1. the first day or days of the year in various calendars, usually celebrated as a holiday

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Etymology

Origin of new year

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200

Example Sentences

Sales at U.S. retailers bounced back in February after a brief weak spell, suggesting the economy is still expanding at a decent pace despite a turbulent start to the new year.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

In the live, as the members sit around a table of food with a Christmas tree in the background, talk turns to how 2025 is ending and the new year is around the corner.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

The strike will be the longest single walkout of the long-running dispute and comes after more than two months of talks since the new year.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

It comes as the population has remained largely unchanged in the new year, after the federal government moved to cut back on once booming immigration.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

If during the year one of us coveted something that belonged to another, we might get the temporary loan of that item for January of the new year.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals