Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: New Year |
New YearNoun1. The calendar year just begun. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
| Domain | Definitions |
Dream Interpretation | To dream of the new year, signifies prosperity and connubial anticipations. If you contemplate the new year in weariness, engagement will be entered into inauspiciously. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted .... |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
The most common modern celebrations are:
January 1 : Western cultures that start a year with January.
In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic church started its ecclesiastic year on a principal Christian feast, like Easter or Christmas. This was followed by many European administrations. Since the 17th century, the Catholic ecclesiastic year has started on the first day of Advent.
The ancient Roman calendar had only ten months and started the year on March 25, which is still reflected in the names of some months which derive from Latin numerals: September (Seventh), October (Eighth), November (Ninth), December (Tenth). Around 715 BC the months of January, February and Mercedony were added. The first month was named after Janus, the two-faced (forward and backward looking) god of gates and transitions in general. Mercedony was a leap month which was used when needed. As part of a calendar reform in 46 BC, Julius Caesar dropped Mercedony and decreed that the New Year should start at the beginning of January instead.
In England the new year did not legally change from the 25th March to the 1st January until 1752, although for a long time before this it was common practice to treat the 1st January as the start of the year.
The Chinese new year is generally celebrated with fire-crackers, and in some places with a parade. It falls at a new moon during the (Chinese) winter, end of January or beginning of February.
The Thai New Year is celebrated in April 13 to April 15 by throwing water.
The Vietnamese New Year is the Têt Nguyen Dan. It it celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "New Year."
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Congratulation | Verb: congratulate, gratulate; felicitate; give one joy, wish one joy; compliment; tender one's congratulations, offer one's congratulations; wish many happy returns of the day, wish a merry Christmas and a happy new year. |
Rite | Passover; Shabuoth; Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement; Rosh Hashana, New Year; Hanukkah, Chanukkah, Feast of Lights; Purim, Feast of lots. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: New Year |
| English words defined with "New Year": Anniversary week ♦ carry, Cycle of the moon ♦ Epact ♦ Great climacteric ♦ Handsel Monday ♦ Jewish New Year ♦ Metonic cycle ♦ Quarter day ♦ Tet, To ring in, To run on. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "New Year": Agricultural Act of 1954, Agricultural Conservation Program, APRIL 19 ♦ Callippic Period, Canadian Wheat Board, Clavie, COmmon Business Oriented Language ♦ Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program, Firstfooting ♦ Goddard Space Flight Center ♦ Loebner Prize ♦ MACROBIAN, Major Stationary Sources, MANAGER, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, Marcheshvan, moving annual total ♦ National Wool Act of 1954, Naw Ruz ♦ PRECCX ♦ Real Programmers Don't Use Pascal ♦ Section 502 loans, Sugar price support program ♦ training administrator ♦ University of Edinburgh ♦ Whiteboys, Windows 98. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Happy New Year to you in jail! (It's a Wonderful Life; writing credit: Philip Van Doren Stern; Frances Goodrich) 3, 2, 1. Happy New Year. (Friends; writing credit: Jörn O. Jensen; Birger Larsen) Merry New Year! (Trading Places; writing credit: Timothy Harris; Herschel Weingrod) | |
Lyrics | Afraid of what the New Year will bring ("A Country Boy Can Survive (Y2K Verison)"; performing artist: Chad Brock) Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ("Ain't No Place Like Home"; performing artist: Prince) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Sappy New Year (1961) Happy New Year! (2000) A John Woo Chinese New Year (1998) Happy New Year (1990) A New Year (1989) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Theater & Movies | |
Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | Ringing in the New Year with the drop of a mooring anchor at 00:00:00 on January 1, 1997.Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. | ![]() | Happy New Year, 1948, 1949 / [by] C.G. Jr.Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Wishing you a Happy New Year -- 1908 / F.Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | The wish that we launch upon the New Year : it will be the proudest thing afloat.Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | All set for the New Year.Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Happy New Year!.Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | President and Mrs. Coolidge with military aides, just after they assisted in a New Year reception, posed outside the White House.Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | New Year reception at the White House. Photo shows thousands of citizens waiting to be received.Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Minsker Young Men's Commercial Athletic Club New Year casino banquet.Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Lunar New Year.Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Irish Toast | In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Business | Sales of fine jewelry products reach their peak in December during Christmas and the New Year. October is another important month for sales due to Mothers' Day, which in Argentina falls on the third Sunday of that month. (references) | |
Gifts are given mainly during the Christmas holidays, on birthdays and weddings and, to a lesser extent, during the Chinese holidays of the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, Valentine's Day, Secretaries' Week and Mother's Day. Traditionally, red packets of cash are given to children and unmarried adults during the Lunar New Year; for the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is moon-cakes and lanterns for children; cash and jewelry (particularly gold jewelry) are given at weddings. (references) | ||
Civil Liberties | Indonesia | Confucianists are permitted to celebrate publicly the Chinese New Year. (references) |
Nepal | Local authorities in Boudhanath, Kathmandu, halted the performance of a traditional dance scheduled to be performed on February 26, during the 6-day celebration of the Tibetan New Year. (references) | |
China | In January 119 dissidents sent an open letter urging the Government to release jailed colleagues ahead of the Lunar New Year festival, stating that it would help Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. (references) | |
Economic History | Kiribati | Attractions include World War II battle sites, game fishing, ecotourism, and the Millennium Islands, situated just inside the International Date Line and the first place on earth to celebrate every New Year. (references) |
Human Rights | China | The courts traditionally issue several death sentences before the annual lunar New Year holiday and other holidays. (references) |
Cuba | For example, in January the authorities placed Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet in a punishment cell for 5 days after he refused to wish prison guards a happy new year. (references) | |
Minorities | Russia | During the year, President Putin and other top Kremlin officials spoke out publicly against anti-Semitism, and in September issued an open letter to members of the Jewish community on the occasion of the Jewish New Year. (references) |
Trade | Philippines | New year 2000 lending to the Philippines was channeled to: Grains Sector Development; Management and Rehabilitation of the Pasig River; Technical Education and Skills Development; North Luzon Expressway Rehabilitation and Expansion; and Rural Productivity Infrastructure. (references) |
Travel | Italy | The same is true during the Christmas and New Year period. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | Within the lifetime of most people now living, mankind will celebrate that great new year which comes only once in a thousand years--the beginning of the third millennium. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Expressions using "New Year": christmas and new year celebration ♦ happy new year to you! ♦ i wish you a happy new year ♦ jewish New Year ♦ new year cake ♦ new year day ♦ new year greeting ♦ ring in the new year ♦ the new year ♦ wish a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
new year | 1,269 |
chinese new year | 649 |
happy new year | 63 |
2004 chinese new year | 63 |
new year party | 36 |
vietnamese new year | 32 |
new new year | 24 |
japanese new year | 22 |
calendar chinese new year | 20 |
celebration chinese new year | 16 |
hmong new year | 16 |
new year holiday | 15 |
jewish new year | 14 |
black jet lyrics new year | 13 |
lunar new year | 10 |
new year baby | 9 |
new year s | 9 |
new year card | 9 |
new year cruise | 9 |
black jet new year | 8 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "New Year"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | السنة الجديدة (the new year). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 新年 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | nový rok (new year day). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | nytaarskort (New Year card), Nytaarsdag (New year Holiday, New Year's Day), jule-og nytårsgratialer (Christmas and New Year bonuses), Godt Nytår (Happy New Year), Glædelig Jul og godt Nytår (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Season's Greetings). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | Nieuwjaar (New year Holiday, New Year's day). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | Novjaro. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Faeroese | nýggjár. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | uudenvuodenonnittelut (good wishes for the New Year, New Year greetings), uudenvuodenonnittelu (good wishes for the New Year, New Year greetings), uudenvuodenkortti (New Year card), Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | nouvelle année, nouvel an (New year Holiday, New Year's day), jour de l'an (new year day, New year Holiday, New Year's Day). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frisian | nijjier. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | neujahr (New year Holiday, New Year's day). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | Καλές γιορτές (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Season's Greetings), Καλά Χριστούγεννα και ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year), καλή πρωτοχρονιά (happy new year), βασιλόπιτα (new year cake), πρωτοχρονιάτικη κάρτα (New Year card), Ευτυχισμένος ο καινούριος χρόνος (Happy New Year), ευτυχέσ το νέο έτοσ (happy new year), δώρα Χριστουγέννων και τέλους του έτους (Christmas and New Year bonuses). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | ראש "ש ". (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | szilveszter (new year's eve). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | imlek (calendar). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | Rosh-ha-Shanah (Jewish New Year, rosh ha-sha-na, rosh ha-sha-nah, rosh ha-sho-no, rosh ha-sho-noh), Prospero anno nuovo (Happy New Year), gratifiche di natale,di fine d'anno (Christmas and New Year bonuses), Felice anno nuovo (Happy New Year), Capodanno ebraico (Jewish New Year, rosh ha-sha-na, rosh ha-sha-nah, rosh ha-sho-no, rosh ha-sho-noh), Capodanno (New year Holiday, New Year's Day), Buone Feste (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Season's Greetings), Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year), Buon anno (Happy New Year). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 新春 , 新年 , 正月 (January, New Year's Day, the first month), 初春 (early spring). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | しょしゅ" (early spring), しょうがつ (January, New Year's Day, the first month), し"しゅ", し"ね" (belief, conviction, faith), はつはる (early spring). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | Yn Vlein Noa (Hogmanay), Nollick Veg. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ewnay yearay novo mundo. (various references) la mulţi ani (congratulations, happy new year to you, many happy returns of the day), îţi doresc un an nou fericit (I wish you a happy new year). (various references) новый год. (various references) a' Bhliadhn' Ùr. (various references) srećna nova godina (happy new year). (various references) año nuevo (New year Holiday, New Year's day). (various references) nyunyari. (various references) nyår. (various references) yeni yıl, yılbaşı (new year's, new year's day). (various references) з новим роком (happy new year). (various references) năm mới, tết (tressed). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | Sanctus Silvester. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Misspellings | |
"New Year" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: new yar. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-e-e-n-r-w-y" | |
-1 letter: weaner, yawner. | |
-2 letters: newer, ranee, renew, rewan, waney, weary, weeny, yearn. | |
-3 letters: aery, anew, awee, awny, awry, earn, eery, erne, ewer, eyen, eyer, eyne, eyra, eyre, nary, near, wane, wany, ware, warn, wary, wean, wear, ween, weer, were, wren, yare, yarn, yawn, yean, year. | |
-4 letters: ane, any, are, awe, awn, aye, ear, era, ere, ern, ewe, eye, nae, naw, nay, nee, new, ran, raw, ray, ree, rya, rye, wae, wan, war, way, wee, wen, wry, wye, wyn, yar, yaw, yea, yen, yew. | |
-5 letters: ae, an, ar, aw, ay, en, er, na, ne, re, we, ya, ye. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-e-e-n-r-w-y" | |
+1 letter: anywhere, greenway. | |
+2 letters: anywheres, greenways, renewably. | |
+3 letters: bewearying, everywoman. | |
+4 letters: entranceway, unweariedly. | |
+5 letters: entranceways, renewability. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)4E 65 77      59 65 61 72 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
|
Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01001110 01100101 01110111 00100000 01011001 01100101 01100001 01110010 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)N e w   Y e a r |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)004E 0065 0077      0059 0065 0061 0072 |
Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)487189259716784 |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Slideshow 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Quotations: Familiar 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Quotations: Speeches 10. Expressions 11. Expressions: Internet 12. Translations: Modern | 13. Translations: Ancient 14. Derivations 15. Anagrams 16. Orthography | 17. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.