English
January
January comes from Latin Iānuārius ‘of January’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEIānuārius‘of January’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400genever
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Janevere
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500Januarie
- Englishearliest quotation 2011January
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEIānuārius‘of January’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400genever
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Janevere
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500Januarie
- Englishearliest quotation 2011January
Earliest quotation: 2011, Michael Schofield: “Hi, January!” Lynn calls. “Happy birthday!”
A compound of iānus ‘arcade’ + Iānus ‘arcade’
Proto-Indo-European *yeh₂-no-
Proto-Italic *jānos
Latin iānus ‘arcade’
Proto-Indo-European *yeh₂-no-
Proto-Italic *jānos
Latin Iānus
The story
From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (‘(month) of Janus’), a compound of Iānus ("Janus") + -ārius (adjectival suffix), with the first element perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeh₂- (‘to go’).
Every English word from Latin Iānuārius
Today it means
name The first month of the Gregorian calendar, following the December of the previous year and preceding February.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin Iānuārius / January