month

Meaning

Noun

• A period into which a year is divided, historically based on the phases of the moon.
• A period of 30 days, 31 days, or some alternation thereof.
• A woman's period; menstrual discharge.

Origin

• From Middle English month, moneth, from Old English mōnaþ, from Proto-Germanic *mēnōþs, from Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s, probably from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁-, referring to the moon's phases as the measure of time, equivalent to moon + -th. Cognate with Scots moneth; North Frisian muunt; Saterland Frisian Mound, Dutch maand; German Low German Maand, Monat; German Monat; Danish and Norwegian Bokmål måned; Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish månad; Icelandic mánuði; Latin mēnsis; Ancient Greek μήν; Armenian ամիս; Old Irish mí; Old Church Slavonic мѣсѧць. See also moon.