Ah, December, that time of year when storefronts are festooned with holiday decorations, and another year is reaching its close. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, December might mean pulling off your boots so you can curl up with your smartphone and read Dictionary.com (hey, we can dream). But, what does the word December mean in the dictionary? And, where did the 12th month of …
Every November, it’s time to begin preparation for the winter months, whether that means pulling out your winter coat, adding another blanket to your bed, or searching for the perfect pumpkin pie recipe. November also holds some of the most important times of the year: elections in the U.S., Thanksgiving, Daylight Saving Time…Black Friday. There’s a lot going on during this shorter month (November has …
Whether you love chocolate or hard candies, we all have our favorites. But, have you ever thought about what the name on your favorite candy wrapper means? Here’s the history behind the names of a few popular confections. Snickers Believe it or not, one of the most beloved candy bars is named after a horse. The Mars family named the candy bar Snickers in memory of …
October is here, and in the Northern Hemisphere, that often means the days are flush with falling leaves, chilly weather, and growing anticipation for the holiday season. The tenth month by our Gregorian calendar, October shares a root with octopus and octagon—the Latin octo and Greek okto, meaning “eight.” According to the original Roman republican calendar, October was the eighth month of the year rather than the …
For many, the month of September signals the end of summer, the beginning of autumn, and the start of a new school year. With respect to the calendar, September marks the beginning of the series of months named after their numerical position in the year. But the numbers and months don’t add up anymore. See, September, based on the Latin septem- meaning “seven,” is the ninth …
The month of July, unlike June, is named for a mortal, albeit one who devised and ruled an empire. Julius Caesar was a Roman general, statesman, and historian who conquered Gaul (what is now part of Italy, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands), changed the structure of the Roman government into a dictatorship, was assassinated in legendary fashion, and most importantly for our purposes, helped make the calendar what it is today. …
June is a great month. School’s out. The days are long. The weather’s warm. Perhaps the Anglo-Saxons — who spoke that linguistic ancestor of English known as Old English — were onto something when they collectively called June and July Liða. That’s pronounced like [ lee–thuh ], with the character ð having the voiced th-, like this. Liða itself may mean “calm” or “mild.” On its own, June was sometimes also referred to …
May may seem like a short and simple name, but its origin is actually fairly complex and interesting. Sit back and read up on this little word’s…big history. What does May mean? The fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, May, is defined as “the fifth month of the year, containing 31 days.” Got it. But where did this name come from? The name for the …
