month
muhnth
Month (noun) means one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year, originally tied to the cycle of the moon. Example: “Her birthday falls in the same month as mine.”
noun
1
One of the twelve divisions of the calendar year, originally tied to the cycle of the moon.
"Her birthday falls in the same month as mine."
"Rent is due on the first of every month."
"February is the shortest month of the year, which always surprises the children."
2
A period of roughly thirty or thirty-one days, used loosely without reference to the calendar.
"We'll know the test results in about a month."
"The baby has grown a lot in the last month."
"It took me a month to get used to the new routine."
How to use month
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOne of the 12 blocks that make up a year — January, February, and so on.
Common pairings
last month
next month
a month ago
once a month
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Word forms
- Plural
- months
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Her birthday falls in the same _____ as mine.
Etymology
From Old English monath, going back to a Proto-Germanic word for "month" that is itself descended from the same ancient root as "moon" — months were originally counted by moon cycles.
Rhymes for month
See all rhymes for month →Frequently asked questions
What does “month” mean?
The word “month” means one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year, originally tied to the cycle of the moon. In plain terms, one of the 12 blocks that make up a year — January, February, and so on.
How do you pronounce “month”?
“Month” is pronounced muhnth (/mʌnθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “month” in a sentence?
Here is “month” used in a sentence: “Her birthday falls in the same month as mine.”
What part of speech is “month”?
“Month” is a noun.
Where does the word “month” come from?
The word “month” comes from Old English. From Old English monath, going back to a Proto-Germanic word for "month" that is itself descended from the same ancient root as "moon" — months were originally counted by moon cycles.
Is “month” a common word?
“Month” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “month” have?
“Month” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year, originally tied to the cycle of the moon.
What is the difference between a calendar month and a lunar month?
A calendar month is one of the twelve fixed divisions of the year, lasting 28 to 31 days. A lunar month is the roughly 29.5 days the moon takes to complete one cycle of phases. Calendar months were originally based on the moon, but were adjusted to fit neatly into the solar year.
Why are there twelve months in a year?
Twelve comes from the number of times the moon completes its cycle during one journey of the Earth around the sun — about twelve lunar months per solar year. The Roman calendar fixed the number at twelve and adjusted the lengths so the months would keep pace with the seasons.
How many days are in a month?
It varies from 28 to 31. Seven months have 31 days, four have 30, and February has 28, or 29 in a leap year. On average a calendar month lasts about 30.4 days. The uneven lengths exist to make twelve months add up to a full 365-day year.
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