january first

USAGE SUMMARY

'january first' is an acceptable phrase that is often used in written English.
You can use it when referring to the first day of the month of January. For example, "The new year arrived on January first."

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

January, first month of the Gregorian calendar.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One Of the great big empty stores had a call from a lady who explained that she hadn't paid her January first bill because a….

The New Yorker

She moved out to Los Angeles in January, first subletting a room in a friend's apartment, then moving in with a new boyfriend.

The New York Times

At the end of January, first week of February, maybe we can see who will be the teams involved in the fight for the title".

Independent

January First!" The restrictionists see Jan . 1as the dawn of a new era, when the Mexicans disappear and everything gets pure and legal again.

The New York Times

Carolyn Ryan, who was promoted to Metro editor this past January, first worked closely with Abramson on the story that forced the resignation of Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

14 January – sixth Republican debate.

The Guardian

28 January – seventh Republican debate; Des Moines, Iowa.

The Guardian

March first, the crocuses will be.

The New Yorker

August First peek into Pottermore!

The Guardian

1985 3 October First flight of shuttle Atlantis.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always be consistent with the date format throughout your document to maintain a professional appearance.

Common error

Avoid mixing date formats (e.g., "january first, 2024" and "1st of january, 2024") within the same document. Choose one style and stick to it for consistency and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "january first" primarily functions as a noun phrase identifying a specific date. It is used to denote the first day of the month of January in the Gregorian calendar. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "january first" is an acceptable way to refer to the first day of the year. Ludwig confirms its acceptability and common usage across different contexts, even if the formal version is "the first of January". It is most frequently encountered in news and media, as well as scientific publications. While grammatically sound, it's essential to maintain consistency in date formatting and be mindful of the formality required by different writing contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the first of january

This alternative rephrases the date using a more formal structure with "the" and "of".

january the 1st

This alternative uses ordinal notation for the day.

new year's day

This alternative replaces the date with its common name.

the first day of the year

This alternative emphasizes that January 1st is the initial day of the calendar.

the annual new year

This alternative highlights the yearly recurrence of the date.

the beginning of january

This alternative focuses on the start of the month rather than a specific date.

the start of the year

This alternative focuses on the beginning of the calendar year.

the new year's commencement

This alternative is a formal way to describe the start of the year.

new year's celebration

This alternative highlights the celebrations associated with the date.

the dawn of the new year

This alternative provides a more poetic description of the date.

FAQs

How can I use "january first" in a sentence?

You can use "january first" to refer to the first day of the year, as in, "The new policy will take effect on "january first".".

What are some alternative ways to say "january first"?

Alternatives include "the first of january" and "new year's day", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "january first" or should I use "the first of january"?

Both "january first" and "the first of january" are acceptable, but the latter is often considered more formal.

What is the significance of "january first"?

"January first", also known as new year's day, marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year and is widely celebrated.