Februarius

== English == === Etymology === From Latin Februārius. === Proper noun === Februarius (historical) The shortest month of the Ancient Roman calendar, from which the Julian and Gregorian month of February derived. == Latin == === Alternative forms === februārius (alternative case form) Febrārius (Late Latin, proscribed) === Etymology === From Februa +‎ -ārius. From februum (“means of purification, an offering”), via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar. === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [fɛ.bruˈaː.ri.ʊs] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [fe.bruˈaː.ri.us] === Adjective === Februārius (feminine Februāria, neuter Februārium); first/second-declension adjective of February ==== Usage notes ==== In Classical Latin, month names were regularly used as adjectives, generally modifying a case-form of mēnsis m sg (“month”) or of one of the nouns used in the Roman calendar to refer to specific days of the month from which other days were counted: kalendae f pl (“calends”), nōnae f pl (“nones”), īdūs f pl (“ides”). However, the masculine noun mēnsis could be omitted by ellipsis, so the masculine singular forms of month names eventually came to be used as proper nouns. The accusative plural adjective forms Aprīlīs, Septembrīs, Octōbrīs, Novembrīs, Decembrīs are ambiguous in writing, being spelled identically to the genitive singular forms of the nouns; nevertheless, the use of ablative singular forms in -ī and comparison with the usage of other month names as adjectives supports the interpretation of -is as an accusative plural adjective ending in Classical Latin phrases such as "kalendas Septembris". ==== Declension ==== First/second-declension adjective. === Proper noun === Februārius m sg (genitive Februāriī or Februārī); second declension February (short for mēnsis Februārius) ==== Declension ==== Second-declension noun, singular only. 1Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age). ==== Descendants ==== Late Latin: Febrārius (see there for further descendants) Borrowings === See also === Roman calendar on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === References === === Further reading === “Fĕbrŭārĭus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “Februārius”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers “fĕbrŭārĭus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette: “657/3” “Februārius” on page 683/1 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82) == Old English == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin Februārius. === Proper noun === Februarius m February Synonym: solmōnaþ ==== See also ====