February is the second month of the year in the Julian and

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

s. The month has 28 days in

common year A common year is a calendar year with 365 days, as distinguished from a leap year, which has 366. More generally, a common year is one without intercalation. The Gregorian calendar (like the earlier Julian calendar) employs both common years ...

s or 29 in

leap year A leap year (also known as an intercalary year or bissextile year) is a calendar year that contains an additional day (or, in the case of a lunisolar calendar, a month) added to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year or s ...

s, with the 29th day being called the ''leap day''. It is the first of five months not to have 31 days (the other four being April, June, September, and November) and the only one to have fewer than 30 days. February is the third and last month of

meteorological winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in Polar regions of Earth, polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring (season), spring. The tilt of Axial tilt#Earth, Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a Hemi ...

in the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

. In the Southern Hemisphere, February is the third and last month of

meteorological summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

(being the seasonal equivalent of what is

August August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. Its zodiac sign is Leo and was originally named ''Sextilis'' in Latin because it was the 6th month in ...

in the Northern Hemisphere).

Pronunciation

"February" is pronounced in several different ways. The beginning of the word is commonly pronounced either as or ; many people drop the first "r", replacing it with , as if it were spelled "Febuary". This comes about by analogy with "January" (), as well as by a

dissimilation In phonology, particularly within historical linguistics, dissimilation is a phenomenon whereby similar consonants or vowels in a word become less similar. In English, dissimilation is particularly common with liquid consonants such as /r/ and ...

effect whereby having two "r"s close to each other causes one to change. The ending of the word is pronounced in the US and in the UK.

History

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry février

Derived from the Latin word, the Roman month was named after the Latin term , which means "purification", via the purification ritual held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar

Roman calendar The Roman calendar was the calendar used by the Roman Kingdom and Roman Republic. The term often includes the Julian calendar established by the reforms of the Roman dictator, dictator Julius Caesar and Roman emperor, emperor Augustus in the ...

. January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period. They were added by

Numa Pompilius Numa Pompilius (; 753–672 BC; reigned 715–672 BC) was the legendary second king of Rome, succeeding Romulus after a one-year interregnum. He was of Sabine origin, and many of Rome's most important religious and political institutions are a ...

about 713 BC. February remained the last month of the calendar year until the time of the

decemvirs The decemviri or decemvirs (Latin for "ten men") were some of the several 10-man commissions established by the Roman Republic. The most important were those of the two Decemvirates, formally the " decemvirate with consular power for writing ...

(c. 450 BC), when it became the second month. At certain times February was truncated to 23 or 24 days, and a 27-day intercalary month,

Intercalaris Mercedonius (Latin for "Work Month").) before beginning to be treated as nouns in their own right. ' seems to derive from ', meaning "wages"., also known as Mercedinus, Interkalaris or Intercalaris ( la, mensis intercalaris), was the intercalary mon ...

, was occasionally inserted immediately after February to realign the year with the

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...

s. February observances in

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...

included

Amburbium The Amburbium ("City Circuit", from ''ambire'', "to go around" + ''urb-'', "city"; plural ''amburbia'') was an ancient Roman festival for purifying the city; that is, a lustration ''(lustratio urbis)''. It took the form of a procession, perhaps ...

(precise date unknown),

Sementivae Sementivae, also known as Feriae Sementivae or Sementina dies (in the country called Paganalia), was a Roman festival of sowing. It was a type of ''feriae conceptivae'' r ''conceptae'' These free days were held every year, but not on certain or fi ...

(February 2),

Februa Lupercalia was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as ''dies Februatus'', after the purification instruments called ''februa'', the b ...

(February 13–15),

Lupercalia Lupercalia was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as ''dies Februatus'', after the purification instruments called ''februa'', the b ...

(February 13–15),

Parentalia In ancient Rome, the Parentalia () or ''dies parentales'' (, "ancestral days") was a nine-day festival held in honor of family ancestors, beginning on 13 February. Although the Parentalia was a holiday on the Roman religious calendar, its observa ...

(February 13–22),

Quirinalia In Roman mythology and religion, Quirinus ( , ) is an early god of the Roman state. In Augustan Rome, ''Quirinus'' was also an epithet of Janus, as ''Janus Quirinus''. Name Attestations The name of god Quirinus is recorded across Roman sourc ...

(February 17),

Feralia Ferālia was an ancient Roman public festival Dumézil, Georges. ''Archaic Roman Religion''. pg 366. celebrating the Manes (Roman spirits of the dead, particularly the souls of deceased individuals) which fell on 21 February as recorded by Ovi ...

(February 21),

Caristia In ancient Rome, the Caristia, also known as the Cara Cognatio, was an official but privately observed holiday on February 22, that celebrated love of family with banqueting and gifts. Families gathered to dine together and offer food and incense ...

(February 22),

Terminalia Terminalia may refer to: * Terminalia (festival), a Roman festival to the god of boundaries Terminus * ''Terminalia'' (plant), a tree genus * Terminalia (insect anatomy), the terminal region of the abdomen in insects * ''Polyscias terminalia'', a ...

(February 23),

Regifugium The Regifugium ("Flight of the King") or Fugalia ("Festival of the Flight") was an annual religious festival that took place in ancient Rome every February 24 ( la, a.d. VI Kal. Mart.). History Varro and Ovid traced the observance to the flight o ...

(February 24), and Agonium Martiale (February 27). These days do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar. Under the reforms that instituted the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...

, Intercalaris was abolished, leap years occurred regularly every fourth year, and in leap years February gained a 29th day. Thereafter, it remained the second month of the calendar year, meaning the order that months are displayed (January, February, March, ..., December) within a year-at-a-glance calendar. Even during the Middle Ages, when the numbered

Anno Domini The terms (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The term is Medieval Latin and means 'in the year of the Lord', but is often presented using "our Lord" instead of "the Lord", ...

year began on March 25 or December 25, the second month was February whenever all twelve months were displayed in order. The

reforms made slight changes to the system for determining which years were leap years, but also contained a 29-day February. Historical names for February include the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

terms Solmonath (mud month) and Kale-monath (named for

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...

) as well as

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

's designation Hornung. In Finnish, the month is called , meaning "month of the pearl"; when snow melts on tree branches, it forms droplets, and as these freeze again, they are like pearls of ice. In

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

and

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

, respectively, the month is called or (), meaning the month of ice or hard frost. In Macedonian the month is (), meaning month of cutting (wood). In Czech, it is called , meaning month of submerging (of river ice). In Slovene, February is traditionally called , related to

icicle An icicle is a spike of ice formed when water falling from an object freezes. Formation and dynamics Icicles can form during bright, sunny, but subfreezing weather, when ice or snow melted by sunlight or some other heat source (such as ...

s or

Candlemas Candlemas (also spelled Candlemass), also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Feast of the Holy Encounter, is a Christian holiday commemorating the presentati ...

. This name originates from , written as in the ''New Carniolan Almanac'' from 1775 and changed to its final form by

Franc Metelko Franc Serafin Metelko, also known as Fran Metelko (14 July 1789 – 27 December 1860) was a Slovene Roman Catholic priest, author, and philologist, best known for his proposal of a new script for the Slovene called the Metelko alphabet, which ...

in his ''New Almanac'' from 1824. The name was also spelled , meaning "the month of cutting down of trees". In 1848, a proposal was put forward in ''

Kmetijske in rokodelske novice {{Unreferenced, date=July 2015 ''Kmetijske in rokodelske novice'' ( en, Agricultural and Artisan News), frequently referred to simply as ''Novice'' (''News''), was a Slovene-language newspaper in the 19th century, which had an influential role i ...

'' by the Slovene Society of

Ljubljana Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...

to call this month (related to ice melting), but it did not stick. The idea was proposed by a priest, Blaž Potočnik. Another name of February in Slovene was , after the mythological character

Vesna Vesna (Cyrillic: Весна) was a mythological female character associated with youth and springtime in early Slavic mythology, particularly within Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Slovenia. Along with her male companion Vesnik, she was asso ...

Patterns

Having only 28 days in common years, February is the only month of the year that can pass without a single

full moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...

. Using

Coordinated Universal Time Coordinated Universal Time or UTC is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is within about one second of mean solar time (such as UT1) at 0° longitude (at the IERS Reference Meridian as the currently used ...

as the basis for determining the date and time of a full moon, this last happened in 2018 and will next happen in 2037. The same is true regarding a

new moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

: again using Coordinated Universal Time as the basis, this last happened in 2014 and will next happen in 2033. February is also the only month of the calendar that, at intervals alternating between one of six years and two of eleven years, has exactly four full 7-day

week A week is a unit of time equal to seven days. It is the standard time period used for short cycles of days in most parts of the world. The days are often used to indicate common work days and rest days, as well as days of worship. Weeks are ofte ...

s. In countries that start their week on a Monday, it occurs as part of a

common year starting on Friday A common year starting on Friday is any non-leap year (i.e. a year with 365 days) that begins on Friday, 1 January, and ends on Friday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is C. The most recent year of such kind was 2021 and the next one will ...

, in which February 1st is a Monday and the 28th is a Sunday; the most recent occurrence was

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

, and the next one will be 2027. In countries that start their week on a Sunday, it occurs in a

common year starting on Thursday A common year starting on Thursday is any non-leap year (i.e. a year with 365 days) that begins on Thursday, 1 January, and ends on Thursday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is D. The most recent year of such kind was 2015 and the next one ...

; the most recent occurrence was

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

and the next occurrence will be 2026. The pattern is broken by a skipped leap year, but no leap year has been skipped since 1900 and no others will be skipped until 2100.

Astronomy

February

meteor showers A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extre ...

include the

Alpha Centaurids The Alpha Centaurids are a meteor shower in the constellation Centaurus Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-cent ...

(appearing in early February), the March Virginids (lasting from February 14 to April 25, peaking around March 20), the

Delta Cancrids The Delta Cancrids is a medium strength meteor shower lasting from December 14 to February 14, the main shower from January 1 to January 24. The radiant is located in the constellation of Cancer, near Delta Cancri Delta Cancri (δ Cancr ...

(appearing December 14 to February 14, peaking on January 17), the

Omicron Centaurids The Omicron Centaurids meteor shower has a radiant which is in the constellation Centaurus Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the 88 modern constellations by area, largest constellations, Centaurus was included a ...

(late January through February, peaking in mid-February),

Theta Centaurids Theta Centaurids is a weak meteor shower that occurs from January 23 to March 12. It is only visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Basic information *Abbreviation: TCE *Speed: 60 km/s *Rating: Weak *Hourly rate: 4 *Peak Date: February 14 ...

(January 23 – March 12, only visible in the southern hemisphere), Eta Virginids (February 24 and March 27, peaking around March 18), and Pi Virginids (February 13 and April 8, peaking between March 3 and March 9).

February symbols

1760 - Salzburg - Stiftskirche St Peter - Viola

*February’s

is called Snow Moon *Its birth flowers are the violet (''

Viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

''), the common primrose (''

Primula vulgaris ''Primula vulgaris'', the common primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and parts of southwest Asia.''Flora Europaea'Primula vulgaris''/ref> The common name ...

''), and the

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...

. *

Its birthstone is the

amethyst Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek αμέθυστος ''amethystos'' from α- ''a-'', "not" and μεθύσκω (Ancient Greek) / μεθώ (Modern Greek), "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that t ...

. It symbolizes piety, humility, spiritual wisdom, and sincerity. *The zodiac signs for the month of February were

Aquarius Aquarius may refer to: Astrology * Aquarius (astrology), an astrological sign * Age of Aquarius, a time period in the cycle of astrological ages Astronomy * Aquarius (constellation) * Aquarius in Chinese astronomy Arts and entertainme ...

(until February 18) and

Pisces Pisces may refer to: * Pisces, an obsolete (because of land vertebrates) taxonomic superclass including all fish * Pisces (astrology), an astrological sign * Pisces (constellation), a constellation **Pisces Overdensity, an overdensity of stars in ...

(February 19 onwards). *Its animal is the

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...

, the third of the 12-year cycle of animals in the

Chinese Zodiac The Chinese zodiac is a traditional classification scheme based on the lunar calendar that assigns an animal and its reputed attributes to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle. Originating from China, the zodiac and its variations remain ...

Observances

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor general observance.''

Month-long observances

* In Catholic tradition, February is the Month of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. *

American Heart Month American Heart Month is a month-long United States observance established by 36 U.S.C. § 101. 2009 edition The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation— :(1) designating February as American Heart Month; :(2) inviting the ch ...

(

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

) *

Black History Month Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently ...

(United States, Canada) *

National Bird-Feeding Month February is National Bird-Feeding Month in the United States."Bosak, Chris. "A Change in Attitude Regarding Feeding Birds." ''The Hour'' orwalk, CT3 February 2010.Rugg, Jeff. "It's National Bird-Feeding Month." ''The Herald-Mail'' agerstown, ...

(United States) * National Children's Dental Health Month (United States) * Season for Nonviolence: January 30 – April 4 (International observance) * List of Month-long observances#February, Turner Syndrome Awareness Month (United States)

Non-Gregorian observance

''(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)'' *

List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...

List of observances set by the Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese holidays are an essential part of harvests or prayer offerings. The most important Chinese holiday is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), which is also celebrated in overseas ethnic Chinese communities (for example in ...

List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar All observances begin at sunset the day prior to the Gregorian date listed unless otherwise noted, and end on nightfall of the date in question, which is defined as the appearance of three stars in the sky. On leap years (which occur every 2– ...

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar All Islamic observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted. Holidays for 1441 (2019-2020) {, class="wikitable" !width=20%, Date on Islamic Calendar !width=20%, Gre ...

List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar Dates in this table are determined by when the March Equinox falls. It will fall on March 20 from 2018-2023. {, class="wikitable" , - style="background:#efefef;" ! Holiday date !!Holiday name !! Description !!March equinox on March 19 !!March Eq ...

Movable observances

Food Freedom Day The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is Canada's largest general farm organization, representing 200,000 farmers and farm families. The organization is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, with the mandate to provide a unified industry voi ...

(

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

): Date changes each year *

Safer Internet Day Insafe is a European network of Awareness Centres promoting safer and better usage of internet, It is co-funded by the Safer Internet Plus Programme. Mission The mission of the Insafe cooperation network is to empower citizens to use the Inte ...

: First day of second week * National Day of the Sun: (

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

) Date varies based on province First Saturday * Ice Cream for Breakfast Day First Sunday *

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the ...

(

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

) *

Super Bowl Sunday Super Bowl Sunday, officially Super Sunday in the NFL, is the day on which the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL)'s annual championship game, is played. Sometimes described as an unofficial national holiday, it recently occurred on t ...

(

) First Week of February (first Monday, ending on Sunday) * Doppelganger Week *

World Interfaith Harmony Week World Interfaith Harmony Week is a UN resolution for a worldwide week of interfaith harmony proposed in 2010 by King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. The World Interfaith Harmony Week falls in the first week of February of every ...

First Monday *

Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

(

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

) * National Frozen Yogurt Day (United States) First Friday *

National Wear Red Day {{Unreferenced, date=February 2016 National Wear Red Day is a day in February when many people wear red to show their support for the awareness of heart disease. In the US It occurs in America on the first Friday in February each year, where p ...

(United States) Second Saturday *

International Purple Hijab Day International Purple Hijab Day (sometimes known as Global Hijab Day or International Purple Hijab and Kufi Day) is an international day of remembrance for those who have experienced domestic violence. It is observed on the second Saturday each Feb ...

Second Sunday *

Autism Sunday Autism Sunday, also known as the International Day of Prayer for autism spectrum disorders, is an event observed annually on the second Sunday of February. History Autism Sunday was first held in 2002 during Autism Awareness Year in the United K ...

(

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

) *

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honor of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...

(

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

, Nauru,

Niue Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tong ...

Tokelau Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, a ...

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...

) *

(

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

) *

World Marriage Day World Marriage Day is an observance sponsored by American organization Worldwide Marriage Encounter, associated with the Catholic Marriage Encounter movement and observed on second Sunday of February each year.

Second Monday * Meal Monday (

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

) Second Tuesday *

National Sports Day National Sports Day is a public holiday celebrated in various countries to honour the national sports teams and sports traditions of those countries. On this day people from different age groups take a part in sports like kabaddi, marathon, baske ...

(

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...

) Week of February 22 *

National Engineers Week (U.S.) In the United States, National Engineers Week is always the week in February which encompasses George Washington's actual birthday, February 22. It is observed by more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies, and more than 50 corporat ...

Third Monday *

Family Day (Canada) In most provinces of Canada, the third Monday in February is observed as a regional statutory holiday, typically known in general as Family Day (french: Jour de la famille)—though some provinces use their own names, as they celebrate the day fo ...

(provinces of

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

and

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

.) * President's Day/Washington's Birthday (United States) Third Thursday *

Global Information Governance Day Global Information Governance Day (GIGD) is a day that occurs on the third Thursday in February. The purpose of Global Information Governance Day is to raise the awareness of information governance. The annual observance was started by Garth Lander ...

Third Friday *

Yukon Heritage Day In most provinces of Canada, the third Monday in February is observed as a regional statutory holiday, typically known in general as Family Day (french: Jour de la famille)—though some provinces use their own names, as they celebrate the day fo ...

(

) Last Friday *

International Stand Up to Bullying Day International STAND UP to Bullying Day is a special semi-annual event in which participants sign and wear a pink "pledge shirt" to take a visible, public stance against bullying. The event takes place in schools, workplaces, and organizations in 2 ...

Last Saturday * Open That Bottle Night Last day of February *

Rare Disease Day Rare Disease Day is an observance held on the last day of February to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families. The European Organisation ...

Fixed observances

February 1 Events Pre-1600 * 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer. * 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), Mon ...

** Abolition of Slavery Day (

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It incl ...

) **

Air Force Day (Nicaragua) Holidays May 30 mother´s day Variable dates *2020 in Nicaragua, 2020 **Holy Thursday: April 9 **Good Friday: April 10 **Computus, Easter: April 12 *2021 in Nicaragua, 2021 **Holy Thursday: April 1 **Good Friday: April 2 **Easter: April 4 *20 ...

Federal Territory Day Federal Territory Day ( ms, Hari Wilayah Persekutuan) is a territorial public holiday observed annually on 1 February by the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya in Malaysia. The date marks the anniversary of the transfer ...

(

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capit ...

and

Putrajaya Putrajaya (), officially the Federal Territory of Putrajaya ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya), is a planned capital city which functions as the administrative capital and the judicial capital of Malaysia. The seat of the federal government ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

) ** Heroes' Day (Rwanda) **

Imbolc Imbolc or Imbolg (), also called Saint Brigid's Day ( ga, Lá Fhéile Bríde; gd, Là Fhèill Brìghde; gv, Laa'l Breeshey), is a Gaelic traditional festival. It marks the beginning of spring, and for Christians it is the feast day of Saint ...

(

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

, and some

Neopagan Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...

groups in the Northern hemisphere) **

Lammas Lammas Day (Anglo-Saxon ''hlaf-mas'', "loaf-mass"), also known as Loaf Mass Day, is a Christian holiday celebrated in some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere on 1 August. The name originates from the word "loaf" in reference ...

(some

groups in the Southern hemisphere) **

Memorial Day of the Republic A number of public holidays and special events take place each year in Hungary. Fixed public holidays Article J of the Constitution of Hungary on national holidays (1) The national holidays of Hungary shall be: a) the 15th day of March, in mem ...

(

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

) **

National Freedom Day National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and Senate resolution that later was ratified as the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. President Lincoln sig ...

(

) *

February 2 Events Pre-1600 * 506 – Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (''Breviarium Alaricianum'' or ''Lex Romana Visigothorum''), a collection of "Roman law". * 880 – Battle of Lüneburg Heath: King ...

Anniversary of Treaty of Tartu All official holidays in Estonia are established by acts of Parliament. Public holidays The following are holidays that mean days off: National holidays The following holidays do not give a day off: References Public and National Holiday ...

(

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

) **

Constitution Day (Philippines) Public holidays in the Philippines are of two types, regular holidays and special non-working days. History On July 25, 1987, President Corazon Aquino promulgated the Administrative Code of the Philippines. Chapter 7 of this code specified a ...

** Day of Youth (Azerbaijan) **Feast of the

Presentation of Jesus at the Temple The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (or ''in the temple'') is an early episode in the life of Jesus Christ, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem, that is celebrated by many churches 40 days after Christmas on Candlemas, ...

(or

) (

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...

), and its related observances: ***A

quarter day In British and Irish tradition, the quarter days were the four dates in each year on which servants were hired, school terms started, and rents were due. They fell on four religious festivals roughly three months apart and close to the two solstic ...

in the Christian

liturgical calendar The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which ...

(due to

) (

) ***Celebration of Yemanja (

Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West Africa, especially that of the Yoruba, and the Roman ...

) **

Groundhog Day Groundhog Day ( pdc, Grund'sau dåk, , , ; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from ...

(

and

) *** Marmot Day (

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

) **

Inventor's Day (Thailand) Public holidays in Thailand are regulated by the government, and most are observed by both the public and private sectors. There are usually nineteen public holidays in a year, but more may be declared by the cabinet. Other observances, both offi ...

** National Tater Tot Day (

) **

World Wetlands Day World Wetlands Day is an environmentally related celebration which dates back to the year of 1971 when several environmentalists gathered to reaffirm the protection and love for wetlands, which are the small environments of plant life and orga ...

February 3 Events Pre-1600 * 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, uniting the fortunes of those two states. *1451 – Sultan Mehmed II inherits the throne of the Ottoman Empire. *1488 – ...

** Anniversary of The Day the Music Died (United States) **

Communist Party of Vietnam Foundation Anniversary Public holidays Public holidays in Vietnam are days when workers get the day off work. Prior to 2007, Vietnamese workers observed 8 days of public holiday a year, among the lowest in the region. On 28 March 2007 the government added the traditio ...

(Vietnam) **

Day of the Virgin of Suyapa Public holidays in Honduras are centered on Christianity and the commemoration of events in Honduran history. Each celebration is very important to many families across this country. They are often celebrated with extended family members, and frien ...

(Honduras) **

Heroes' Day (Mozambique) :This is a list of holidays in Mozambique :This is a list of City-specific holidays in Mozambique

Martyrs' Day (São Tomé and Príncipe) Martyrs' Day are days observed by countries to recognise martyrs such as soldiers, revolutionaries or victims of genocide. Below is a list of various Martyrs' Days for different countries. Afghanistan Martyrs' Day is observed on September 8 or ...

Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan. The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring in the traditional calendar, known as ; though previously referri ...

(Japan) **

Veterans' Day (Thailand) Public holidays in Thailand are regulated by the Government of Thailand, government, and most are observed by both the public and private sectors. There are usually nineteen public holidays in a year, but more may be declared by the Cabinet of Tha ...

February 4 Events Pre–1600 * 211 – Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrellin ...

** Day of the Armed Struggle (Angola) **

Independence Day (Sri Lanka) National Day, also known as Independence Day, is a Sri Lankan national holiday celebrated annually on 4 February to commemorate the country’s political independence from British rule in 1948. It is celebrated all over the country through a f ...

Rosa Parks Day Rosa Parks Day is a holiday in honor of the civil rights leader Rosa Parks, celebrated in the U.S. states of California and Missouri on her birthday, February 4, in Michigan on the first Monday after her birthday, and in Ohio and Oregon on the day ...

(

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, United States) **

World Cancer Day World Cancer Day is an international day marked on :4 February to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support the ...

February 5 Events Pre-1600 * 62 – Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy. * 1576 – Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion. * 1597 – A group of early Japanese Christians ar ...

** Crown Princess Mary's birthday (Denmark) **

Kashmir Solidarity Day Kashmir Solidarity Day ( ur, ) or Kashmir Day is a national holiday observed in Pakistan on 5 February annually. It is observed to show Pakistan's support and unity with the people of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Kashmiri separ ...

(Pakistan) **

Liberation Day Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an independence day. Liberation marks the date of either a revolution, as in Cuba, the fall of a dictatorship, as in Portugal, or the end of an oc ...

(San Marino) **National Weatherperson's Day (United States) **Runeberg's Birthday (Finland) **Unity Day (Burundi) *February 6 **International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation **Ronald Reagan Day (

, United States) **Sami National Day (Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden) **Waitangi Day (New Zealand) *February 7 **Independence Day (Grenada) *February 8 **Parinirvana Day (some Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhist traditions, most celebrate on February 15) **Prešeren Day (Slovenia) **Propose Day *February 9 **List of food days#February, National Pizza Day (United States) **Public holidays in Lebanon, St. Maroun's Day (Maronite Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, public holiday in Lebanon) *February 10 **Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Public holiday in Malta) **Fenkil Day (Eritrea) **National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe (Italy) *February 11 **112 (emergency telephone number)#European 112 Day, 112 day (European Union) **Armed Forces Day (Liberia) **Day of Revenue Service (Azerbaijan) **Evelio Javier Day (Panay Island, the Philippines) **Feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes (Catholic Church), and its related observance: ***World Day of the Sick (Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Church) **Inventors' Day (United States) **National Foundation Day (Japan) **Youth Day (Cameroon) *February 12 **Darwin Day (International observance, International) **Georgia Day (Georgia (U.S. state)) **List of awareness days#February, International Day of Women's Health **Lincoln's Birthday (United States) **National Freedom to Marry Day (United States) **Red Hand Day (United Nations) **List of awareness days#February, Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day (Canada) **Union Day (Myanmar) **Youth Day (Venezuela) *February 13 **Children's Day (Myanmar) **World Radio Day *February 14 **List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union#List of U.S. states, Statehood Day (Arizona, United States) **List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union#List of U.S. states, Statehood Day (Oregon, United States) **

(Armenian Apostolic Church) **V-Day (movement) (International observance, International) **Valentine's Day (International observance, International) ***Singles Awareness Day *February 15 **

(Eastern Orthodox Church) **International Duties Memorial Day (Russia, regional) **John Frum Day (Vanuatu) **Liberation Day (Afghanistan) **National Flag of Canada Day (Canada) **List of food days#February, National I Want Butterscotch Day (United States) **Parinirvana Day (most Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhist traditions, some celebrate on February 8) **First Serbian Uprising, Serbia's National Day **Statehood Day (Serbia) **Susan B. Anthony Day (United States) **The ENIAC Day (Philadelphia, United States) **Total Defence Day (Singapore) *February 16 **Day of the Shining Star (North Korea) **Act of Independence of Lithuania, Restoration of Lithuania's Statehood Day (Lithuania) *February 17 **Independence Day (Kosovo) **Random Acts of Kindness Day (United States) **Public holidays in Libya, Revolution Day (Libya) *February 18 **National Democracy Day (Nepal) **Dialect Day (Amami Islands, Japan) **Independence Day (Gambia) **Kurdish Students Union Day (Iraqi Kurdistan) **Wife's Day (Iceland) *February 19 **Armed Forces Day (Mexico) **Brâncuși Day (Romania) **Commemoration of Vasil Levski (Bulgaria) **Flag Day (Turkmenistan) **Shivaji, Shivaji Jayanti (Maharashtra, India) *February 20 **List of people killed during Euromaidan, Day of Heavenly Hundred Heroes (Ukraine) **Thomas Roy#Special days, Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day **World Day of Social Justice *February 21 **International Mother Language Day **Language Movement Day (Bangladesh) *February 22 **Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter (Roman Catholic Church) **Independence Day (Saint Lucia) **Founder’s Day (Saudi Arabia) **Scientology holidays, Celebrity Day (Church of Scientology) **Scouts' Day, Founder's Day or "B.-P. day" (World Organization of the Scout Movement) **List of food days#February, National Margarita Day (United States) **World Thinking Day (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) *February 23 **Mashramani-Republic Day (Guyana) **Meteņi (Latvia) **List of food days#February, National Banana Bread Day (United States) **National Day (Brunei) **Red Army Day or Day of Soviet Army and Navy in the former Soviet Union, also held in various former Soviet republics: ***Defender of the Fatherland Day (Russia) ***Defender of the Fatherland and Armed Forces day (Belarus) **Emperor's Birthday (Japan) *February 24 **Dragobete (Romania) **Engineer's Day (Iran) **Flag Day in Mexico **Independence Day (Estonia) **Thailand National Artist, National Artist Day (Thailand) **Sepandārmazgān or "Women's Day" (Zoroastrian, Iran) *February 25 **Armed Forces Day#Dominican Republic, Armed Forces Day (Dominican Republic) **''Kitano Tenman-gū, Kitano Baika-sai'' or "Plum Blossom Festival" (Kitano Tenman-gū, Kitano Tenman-gū Shrine, Kyoto, Japan) **Meher Baba#Legacy, Meher Baba's birthday (followers of Meher Baba) **Memorial Day for the Victims of the Communist Dictatorships (

) **National Day (Kuwait) **People Power Revolution, People Power Day (Philippines) **Public holidays in Suriname, Revolution Day (Suriname) **Soviet Occupation Day (Georgia) *February 26 **Liberation Day (Kuwait) **Public holidays in Azerbaijan, Day of Remembrance for Victims of Khojaly massacre (Azerbaijan) **

(United Kingdom) **Saviours' Day (Nation of Islam) *February 27 **Anosmia Awareness Day (International observance) **Doctors' Day (Vietnam) **International Polar Bear Day **Majuba Day (some Afrikaners in South Africa) **Marathi Language Day (Maharashtra, India) **Public holidays in the Dominican Republic, Independence Day (Dominican Republic) **Anti-Bullying Day (

) *February 28 **Public holidays in Armenia, Day of Remembrance for Victims of Massacres in Armenia (Armenia) **Andalusia Day (Andalusia, Spain) **Kalevala Day (Finland) **National Science Day (India) **Peace Memorial Day (Taiwan) **Teachers' Day (Arab states) *February 29 **Bachelor's Day (tradition), Bachelor's Day (Republic of Ireland, Ireland, United Kingdom) **List of food days#February, National Frog Legs Day (United States)

References

External links

The Straight Dope: How come February has only 28 days?
* {{Authority control February, Months, *02

Pronunciation

History

Patterns

Astronomy

February symbols

Observances

Month-long observances

Non-Gregorian observance

Movable observances

Fixed observances

References

Further reading

External links