Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The 12th month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun That month of the year in which the sun touches the tropic of Capricorn at the winter solstice, being then at his greatest distance south of the equator; the twelfth and last month according to the modern mode of reckoning time, having thirty-one days. In the Roman calendar it was the tenth month, reckoning from March. Abbreviated Dec.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • proper noun The twelfth and last month of the year, containing thirty-one days. During this month occurs the winter solstice.
  • proper noun Fig.: With reference to the end of the year and to the winter season.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun The twelfth and last month of the Gregorian calendar, following November and preceding the January of the following year. Abbreviation: Dec or Dec.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the last (12th) month of the year

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English decembre, from Old French, from Latin December, the tenth month of the Roman year, probably from *decemmembris, from *decem-mēnsris : decem, ten; see dekm̥ in Indo-European roots + mēnsis, month; see menses.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English decembre, from Old French decembre, from Latin december ("tenth month"), from Latin decem ("ten"), from Proto-Indo-European *dekm, ten; December was the tenth month in the Roman calendar.

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Examples

  • But even with the positive figure, those surveyed said that their preliminary forecast for the next survey to take place in December is back in negative territory at minus 1.

    Central Bank Expected to Expand Lending Facility Megumi Fujikawa 2010

  • But the other issue that's also [being voted on] in December is the Child Nutrition Act. One in four American children lives in a household now that runs out of food and one in three African American kids lives in a household that runs out of food.

    Christine A. Scheller: The Politics of Hunger: An Interview with World Food Prize winner David Beckmann Christine A. Scheller 2010

  • Results released in December from the Pappas School in Arizona, the granddaddy of all separate schools and the model for the Community Transitional School, showed that homeless kids in that program fared worse than homeless kids in public schools in both math and reading in every grade level …

    Homelessness 2010

  • Hunting the quiet snow covered woods in December is special.

    Wisconsin Hunters Debate 16-Day Deer Season PLUS More Whitetail Headlines 2009

  • My urban fantasy novel, Petrol Queen, that I started back in December is now at 21k, 101 pages (Courier New).

    Novel progress and sharp spoons marshallpayne1 2010

  • Results released in December from the Pappas School in Arizona, the granddaddy of all separate schools and the model for the Community Transitional School, showed that homeless kids in that program fared worse than homeless kids in public schools in both math and reading in every grade level …

    Homelessness 2010

  • The movie, planned for release in December, is from stage and screen director Julie Taymor (Across the Universe, Frida), who previously adapted The Bard in film with 1999's Titus, starring Anthony Hopkins as the bloodthirsty Roman general.

    First look: Helen Mirren in lead role in Julie Taymor's 'Tempest' 2010

  • Brown, who graduated from Wichita East High in December, is visiting family in Nebraska and didn't return calls Wednesday.

    Running backs: Bryce Brown sits on sideline as others sign 2009

  • Results released in December from the Pappas School in Arizona, the granddaddy of all separate schools and the model for the Community Transitional School, showed that homeless kids in that program fared worse than homeless kids in public schools in both math and reading in every grade level.

    Homelessness 2010

  • Hunting the quiet snow covered woods in December is special.

    Wisconsin Hunters Debate 16-Day Deer Season PLUS More Whitetail Headlines 2009

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