- the first day or days of the year in various calendars, usually celebrated as a holiday
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ˈnew ˈyear, n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [countable;
singular;
usually: the + ~] the year approaching or newly begun. - [uncountable* New Year]
- New Year's Day.
- the first few days of any year.
- Rosh Hashanah.
new′ year′,
- the year approaching or newly begun.
- See New Year's Day.
- (caps.) the first day or few days of a year in any of various calendars.
- Middle English 1150–1200
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
New Year n
'new year' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Chunjie
- Diwali
- festive season
- first-foot
- handsel
- Hogmanay
- new
- New Year's Day
- New Year's Eve
- ring in
- Rosh Hashanah
- Tippett
- Yuandan
- callithump
- Christmastide
- confetti
- day
- downturn
- folia
- gaiety
- give
- hopping John
- hung
- leaf
- merry
- near
- New Year's
- night
- noisemaker
- Nowruz
- partyer
- populous
- Tet
- Tu Bishevat
- watch meeting
- whoop-de-do