New Year's Day

American

noun

January 1, celebrated as a holiday in many countries.

New Year's Day British

noun

Often (US and Canadian informal) shortened to: New Year's. Jan 1, celebrated as a holiday in many countries

"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's Day

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.

The company has also graced the opening ceremonies of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and even performed at 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day for the prince of Morocco in 1978.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

Gabby first caught Covid on New Year's Day in 2021 at the same time as her husband, Darren, who at the time was a serving police officer in North Yorkshire.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

The pair then tied the knot on New Year’s Day in 1994 and went on to welcome their three children.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 9, 2026

The band's label announced on New Year's Day they would release a new album in March before heading on a mega-tour the following month that will take in 34 cities.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

It was as if coming into the world on New Year’s Day were such a sign of good fortune that children born on that day would be named “January 1.”

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023