October

[ ok-toh-ber ]

noun

1. the tenth month of the year, containing 31 days. : Oct.
2. British. ale or beer traditionally brewed in this month.

October

/ ɒkˈtəʊbə /

noun

1. the tenth month of the year, consisting of 31 days

Word History and Origins

Origin of October¹

before 1050; Middle English, Old English < Latin Octōber the eighth month of the early Roman year, equivalent to octō- octo- + -ber, on the model of September, November, December; December

Word History and Origins

Origin of October¹

Old English, from Latin, from octo eight, since it was the eighth month in Roman reckoning

Example Sentences

Sip Wines, an online platform launched in October largely as a response to the pandemic, tags wineries as sustainable or organic, socially responsible, led by women, family-owned and first-generation small business.

From Washington Post

In a relentless pandemic, nursing-home workers are worn down and stressed outOn the surface, October was another quiet month.

From Washington Post

An October survey by Seattle-based Wilkening Consulting and AAM found that nearly 30 percent of museums remain closed since lockdown last March.

From Washington Post

In October, BarFly announced it was being purchased by two investment firms.

From Washington Post

PG&E’s filing is in response to a breach of contract lawsuit filed against the utility in October by Bay Area Concrete.

From ProPublica

Grindr introduced the feature themselves in October the same year and called it ‘tribes.’

From The Daily Beast

In October, he traveled to Denver with Fry to support his work with LGBT rights organization The Matthew Sheppard Foundation.

From The Daily Beast

According to the AP, as of October, there were only four people still alive who be affected by this legislation.

From The Daily Beast

What got leaked to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on October 22?

From The Daily Beast

Krivov was arrested in October 2012, on the dubious charges of participation in “mass riots.”

From The Daily Beast

Napoleon himself arrived at Wrzburg on October 2nd, and found his army concentrated, but deficient of supplies.

From Project Gutenberg

September died away in the brown arms of October, and at last a letter came from Nigel.

From Project Gutenberg

He was at once arrested, and on October 13th tried by court martial, condemned to death, and executed a few hours later.

From Project Gutenberg

The day was perfect; as clear and bright, as mellow and crisp, as rich in colour, as only an October day in England can be.

From Project Gutenberg

The great pressure-engine I expect will be at work before the middle of October.

From Project Gutenberg

More About October

What is October?

October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days and is between September and November.

In the Northern Hemisphere October is known as a middle month of the autumn season, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s a middle month of the spring season.

Many countries around the world celebrate Halloween, which is on October 31. It’s so popular that much of the month is devoted to spooky things. Halloween is celebrated differently from country to country, with nations like the United States and Canada practicing in trick-or-treating and hosting Halloween-themed parties. Other nations, like Japan and Ireland, celebrate with parades and public gatherings.

Other holidays celebrated in October include Día de los Muertos and Oktoberfest. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that celebrates those who have died. In Germany, Oktoberfest celebrates the craft of beer making, running from late September to early October.

Example: October is such a spooky month, especially when the trees lose their leaves.

Where does October come from?

The first records of the word October come from before 1050. It ultimately comes from the Latin Octōber, meaning “eighth month.”

In the 10-month Roman calendar, which started with March, October was the eighth month. When Julius Caesar took control of Rome, he changed the length of some months and added new ones because January was falling in autumn due to the calendar’s inaccuracies. He added Quintilis, later to become July (named after Julius), and Sextilis, which would later become August (named after Augustus Caesar). This is how October went from being the eight month to the tenth. Our Gregorian calendar is based on this Julius calendar.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to October?

• Oct. (abbreviation)

What are some words that share a root or word element with October? 

• October Revolution
• Oktoberfest

What are some words that often get used in discussing October?

• fall
• spring
• Halloween

How is October used in real life?

Many nations celebrate Halloween in October, so they see it as a “spooky” month.

Buy and stream #Expectations out on October 24th✨✨💕✨💕

— PRELUDE (@LaurenJauregui) October 14, 2018

HAPPY OCTOBER! *throws hot pumpkin spice lattes at you all* 🍂🎃☕️

— Phil Lester (@AmazingPhil) October 1, 2016

October, November and December are the best months of the year 🎃👻🍂🍗🎁🎅

— Carter Reynolds (@carterreynolds) October 7, 2014

 

Try using October!

True or False? 

October is named after the Latin word for eight.