February

Meaning

1. The short month following January and preceding March in the Roman, Julian, and Gregorian calendars, used in all three calendars for intercalation or addition of leap days.
2. A female given name transferred from the month name [in turn from English].

Synonyms

month

Feb

March

birthdate

calendar month

July

June

October

September

Feb.

month of leap year

second month

May

Horning

April

August

Translations

febrero

février

Februar

februari

şubat

sprokkelmaand

Feber

Hyphenated as

Feb‧ru‧ary

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfɛb.ɹʊ.ə.ɹi/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: Februarie

In summary

From Middle English Februarie, februari, februare, from Latin Februārius (“the month of the Februa”), from Februa (“the Purgings, the Purifications”), a Roman holiday two days after its ides (i.e., Feb. 15), + -arius (“-ary: forming adjectives”). Februa from februum (“purging”), from an earlier Sabine [Term?] word, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“smoke, haze”) and thus cognate with thio- (“sulfurous”) and Ancient Greek θεῖον (theîon, “sulfur”) or from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰris, an extension of the root *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn”) and thus cognate with fever and febris. A relatinization abandoning Middle English feoverel, from Old French feverier, which itself displaced Old English solmōnaþ (“mud month”).

Sentences

Satin bowerbirds nest between October and February .