february

IPA/ˈfebruəri/
KK[fˈɛbjəwˌɛri]IPA/ˈfebrueri/

february — noun

  • februarysingular
  • februariesplural

1. the month that comes after January and is second in the year.

1.nounA1
Definition

the month that comes after January and is second in the year.

Example

Priya's birthday is in February, so during that month we throw her a party.

in + month for dates and events

Diego checked his wall calendar and saw that February had only twenty-eight days this year.

month + is/has + descriptor (singular verb with months)

Common collocations
  • in February
  • last February
  • next February
  • February weather
  • early February
  • late February
  • February morning

Usage Note

Always write February with a capital letter. Use 'in' before the month (not 'at' or 'on'). February has 28 days most years, and 29 days every fourth year.

Common Mistakes

My birthday is at February.
My birthday is in February.
Use 'in' with months and years, not 'at'.
february is cold this year.
February is cold this year.
Month names always start with a capital letter.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

January, February, and March are the first three months of the calendar year. February is different because it is the shortest — it has only 28 days most years, while January and March each have 31 days. February is also the only month whose length changes (to 29 days every fourth year, called a leap year). In terms of seasons, February is still winter in most northern places, whereas March often marks the start of spring. For example: 'January was cold, but February felt even shorter.' 'March brings warmer weather, while February is still winter in many areas.'

January ↗March ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • in early February
  • in late February
  • the beginning of February

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

February comes from the Latin word 'Februarius,' which was the month of purification in ancient Rome. The name comes from 'februa,' a Roman cleansing ritual that took place on February 15.