February
noun
ˈfe-brə-
How do you pronounce February?: Usage Guide
Dissimilation may occur when a word contains two identical or closely related sounds, resulting in the change or loss of one of them. This happens regularly in February, which is more often pronounced \ˈfe-b(y)ə-ˌwer-ē\ than \ˈfe-brə-ˌwer-ē\, though all of these variants are in frequent use and widely accepted. The \y\ heard from many speakers is not an intrusion but rather a common pronunciation of the vowel u after a consonant, as in January and annual.
Examples of February in a Sentence
Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
An affidavit signed by a Petoskey Public Safety Department officer said that on April 11, 2016, Gille was arrested at Greenwood Cemetery after attempting to dig up the casket of an individual who had died that February.
—Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 29 July 2025
In February, Congressman Steven Horsford, a Democrat from Nevada, tried to rally support for an alternative measure called the Tipped Income Protection and Support Act, a bill that advocates a different approach.
—Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 July 2025
In February, the Coast Guard intercepted 132 Haitians on a boat south of the Florida Keys.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for February
Cite this Entry
“February.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/February. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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February
noun
ˈfeb-rə-
Old English Februarius "February," from Latin Februarius "February," literally, "of Februa," from Februa "feast of cleansing"
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