Iānuārius
masculine
January in Latin is Iānuārius.
The term refers to the first month of the Gregorian calendar.
Meaning: first month of the Gregorian calendar (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The name is derived from the Latin god Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions, who is often depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In later and modern texts the word is often spelled Januarius, with a j.
How does it change in a sentence?
Iānuārius is a second declension masculine noun. As a masculine noun, it can be declined in the genitive case as Iānuārii to mean 'of January'.
Did you know?
- While Iānuārius is now the first month, the Romans originally had a ten-month calendar that ended in December, leaving the winter period unnamed.
- The Latin word for the month is intimately tied to the concept of 'ianua', meaning 'door', reflecting Janus's role as the guardian of entrances.
- In the original Roman calendar, 'January' was not the first month, as the year actually began in March.
Example sentences for Latin are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing the upcoming calendar year.
- MarcusNum scis quid sit primus mensis?Do you know what the first month is?
- AureliaIānuārius est primus mensis.January is the first month.
- MarcusIta vero, Iānuārius venit mox.That is true, January is coming soon.
- AureliaEheu, hiems est frigida.Alas, the winter is cold.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “January” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
