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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.

New Year British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of new year

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200

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.

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 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

In the days before the Persian new year festival of Nowruz, Iranians would usually be excitedly preparing.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

It is January, a new season, a new year.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

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.