the year approaching or newly begun.
(initial capital letters) the first day or few days of a year in any of various calendars.
Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A new year, a new lineup of mayoral candidates.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Thursday marked the 13th and final day of the Persian new year festivities, known as Sizdah‑bedar or Nature Day.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Sales at U.S. retailers bounced back in February after a brief weak spell, suggesting the economy is still expanding at decent speed despite a turbulent start to the new year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Towards the end of March, Iranians celebrated Nowruz, the Persian new year festival that marks the spring equinox and is often a time when families get together.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
So he sailed southward under the west-going stars, and the long night passed slowly, until the first day of the new year brightened all the sea.
From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
