Dictionary

Junuary en · PROPN

Etymology

Blend of June + January.

Meanings

1. (British-Columbia, Northwestern, US, humorous) A June with cool, rainy weather, typical of the Pacific Northwest climate.
   • A year ago we went straight from "Junuary" into a similarly drenched July, but this year we've already hit the spray parks, the outdoor pools and had picnics at the park. 2012, Clare Adams, "Summer means outdoors", The Now (Coquitlam, BC), 25 July 2012, page A12
   • While commiserating with a fellow North Islander the other day I heard a great word used to describe the wild and wooly weather we've been having: Juneuary. 2000 June 21, Karen Stewart, “Weather you like it or not”, in North Island Gazette, Vancouver Island, page 9:
   • The Toronto Mail calls it “Juneuary” [so]uther. 1902 June 30, “Current Topics”, in The Hamilton Spectator, volume LV, number 151, Hamilton, Ont., page 4, column 2:
2. (Canada, US, humorous) An unseasonably warm and sunny January.
   • Said A., “Such weather, sir, as this / Proves that they’ve named the month amiss.” / “Just so,” said B.—the wretch, how dare he?— / “It should be known as June'''-uary!” 1888 January 19, “Fair-Weather Waggery”, in The Cambria Daily Leader: The Pioneer of the Welsh Daily Press, number 5,111, Swansea, West Glamorgan, page [4], column 3:
   • A veteran gardener of this city, complaining of the warm weather, thinks next month will be called June-uary. 1894 December 11, “Our Picayunes”, in The Daily Picayune, volume LVIII, number 320, New Orleans, La.: Nicholson & Co., page 4, column 1:
   • In 1995, the Almanac nailed a surprise January heat wave – christened "Juneuary" – in the Northeast. 2008 August 28, “Getting a chill from the Almanac”, in Sun Journal, Lewiston, ME, page A8:

Forms