English
December
December comes from Old French decembre ‘December (month)’, from Latin decem ‘ten’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱm̥‘ten’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekəm‘ten’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecem‘ten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecember‘tenth month’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400decembre‘December (month)’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500December
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1633same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱm̥‘ten’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekəm‘ten’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecem‘ten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecember‘tenth month’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400decembre‘December (month)’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500December
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1633same form
Earliest quotation: a. 1633, Thomas Dekker, The Wonder of a Kingdome: “Old Oakes doe not eaſily fall: / Decembers cold…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥ ‘ten’
ten, century, hundred, dick, cent, decade, sen, hectare, tenfold, dinero, deca, 49 more
through Proto-Italic *dekəm ‘ten’
den, diner, denier, dwt, 20 more
through Latin decem ‘ten’
Today it means
name The twelfth and last month of the Gregorian calendar, following November and preceding the January of the following year, containing the southern solstice.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥ / December