Standard Lemma guide

twelvemonth

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈtwɛlvmʌnθ/
  • obsolete: /ˈtwɛlmʌnθ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A year.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she is 4 years old
  • in the year 1920

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: year, yr

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: time period, period of time, period

Narrower terms: church year, Christian year, Holy Year, New Year, common year, 365 days, leap year, intercalary year, 366 days, bissextile year, off year, calendar year, civil year, fiscal year, financial year, annum, year of grace, Y2K

History

Etymology

From Middle English twelmonth, twelfmonthe, twelfmonþe, from Old English twelfmōnþ, twelfmōnaþ, equivalent to twelve + month.