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Definition of february

february

/ˈfɛb.ɹuˌɛr.i/
Feb · ru · ar · y
Plural:Februaries
•
Adjective:Februarian
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february Lexical Profile

• noun

1

The second and shortest month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars, following January and preceding March, having twenty-eight days in common years and twenty-nine in leap years.

Example

"The annual academic conference is scheduled for the third week of February."

Word Nuance & Usage

The first 'r' in 'February' is frequently omitted in casual pronunciation (/ˈfɛbjʊɛri/), making the silent 'r' one of the most common spelling errors in English.

• Nearby Words

feather river
featherback
feathergrass
february
fed
fedex
fedora

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English Februarie, borrowed from Old French fevrier and re-shaped after Latin Februarius mensis ('month of purification'), derived from februa, an ancient Roman festival of ritual purification held on the fifteenth day of the month.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of February. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 30, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/february
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