Meaning

December is the twelfth month of the Gregorian calendar, positioned between November and January. Historically, it was originally the tenth month in the ancient Roman calendar system.

Pronunciation & Stress

-(Received Pronunciation): /dɪˈsɛmbə/ DESS-uhm-buhr, stress on second syllable
-(American English): /dɪˈsɛm.bɚ/ DESS-uhm-buhr, stress on second syllable

Etymology & Origin

  • From Latin decem (meaning “ten”)
  • Greek/Latin suffix -ber (from -bris, an adjectival ending)
  • Originally the tenth month in the Roman calendar where their year began in March

Morphological Features

  • Singular and plural: December / Decembers (referring to the time period between Christmas and New Year)
  • Adjective form: December (e.g., “December snow”)
  • Abbreviations: Dec., Dec, Dc

Grammar Notes

  • Functions as a proper noun (month name) but can be used adjectivally (“December 25th” vs “December holidays”)
  • In Latin, month names could be used as adjectives modifying other nouns (e.g., “month of December”)

Intersting Cultural Features

  • The original Roman calendar had 10 months with winter not assigned to any month
  • When January and February were added to the calendar, December remained as the tenth month name
  • It’s associated with winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa) in many Western cultures
  • A common surname, particularly among White (57.22%) and Black/African American (32.09%) individuals

Learning Tips

  • Associate with “dec-” meaning ten (like decade = 10 years, decimal = base-10)
  • Mnemonic: December is the month when you count down the last ten days of the year
  • Visualize the December calendar page to reinforce spelling

Example Sentences

Simple: December is the month after November.

Medium: Many people decorate their homes with Christmas trees in early December.

Complex: Although December was originally the tenth month in the Roman calendar, its position as the twelfth month has persisted through calendar reforms across centuries.

Word Combinations

  • December holidays
  • Early December
  • Mid-December
  • End of December
  • December birthday

Mini Exercises

1. Create a sentence using “mid-December”
2. Find a synonym for “December holiday”: (Answer: Christmas)
3. Identify the root word in: decade, decimal, December
4. Pronounce these words and identify stress position: December, decision, December_SS_