June

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The sixth month of the year, occurring between May and July in the Northern Hemisphere
2. The month that serves as the sixth in the annual calendar, positioned between May and July, and often associated with the onset of summer
3. A time recognized for graduation ceremonies and weddings, occurring after May and before July, marking a transition in seasons

Etymology: The month's name goes back to Juno, queen of the Roman gods, whose month, Iunius, followed the spring of the calendar. Latin "iūnius" passed through Old French "juin" into Middle English, where spellings such as "juyn" and "juyng" were later reshaped to match the Latin original, giving the modern "June." Its exact origin is debated: one suggestion links the goddess's name to an Indo-European root meaning "vital force" or "youthful vigor," though this remains uncertain. Note that the "June" in the sense of a wedding-and-graduation season is simply the name of the month used to label that time of year, so the word's history is that of the month itself.

Synonyms: month, summer month, mid-year, warm season, solstice month

Antonyms: december, winter, cold season, end of year, night