# January

/ˈdʒænjuˌɛɹi/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/january
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the first month

noun · CEFR A1

the first month of the year.

For teachers: the first month of the Gregorian calendar, following December and preceding February.

- In many cold countries, January is the month with the most snow.
- The company traditionally reviews its annual budget in early January to ensure all departments are aligned for the new fiscal year.

Usage: Always capitalized in English writing.

Teaching tip: Learners often forget the capital letter because months are not always capitalized in their native languages.

## Examples

- It is usually very cold in January.
- Many people start new exercise routines in January to improve their health for the coming year.
- The fiscal year for many international corporations begins in January, necessitating a rigorous audit of the previous twelve months' performance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.