august

adjective

au·gust | \ ȯ-ˈgəst

, ˈȯ-(ˌ)gəst

Definition of august

(Entry 1 of 2)

: marked by majestic dignity or grandeur her august lineage an august mansion

August

noun

Au·gust | \ ˈȯ-gəst

Definition of August (Entry 2 of 2)

: the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar

Other Words from august Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about august

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

August comes from the Latin word augustus, meaning "consecrated" or "venerable," which in turn is related to the Latin augur, meaning "consecrated by augury or "auspicious." In 8 B.C. the Roman Senate honored Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor, by changing the name of their month "Sextilis" to "Augustus." Middle English speakers inherited the name of the month of August, but it wasn't until the mid-1600s that "august" came to be used generically in English, more or less as "augustus" was in Latin, to refer to someone with imperial qualities.

Examples of august in a Sentence

Adjective

We visited their august mansion and expansive grounds. The family claims an august lineage.

Noun

We are taking our vacation in August. The last two Augusts have been very dry.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

One Twenty-fifth, in Harlem—and couldn’t get access to an august publication like that. — The New Yorker, "Ta-Nehisi Coates Revisits the Case for Reparations," 10 June 2019 Philip, too, could seem a beguiling but remote citadel: august, many-towered, lavishly defended. — Benjamin Taylor, Harper's magazine, "Exit Ghost," 10 Mar. 2019 There are few biologists—and perhaps no microbiologists or cell biologists—who wouldn’t include Carl Woese in this august company. — David P. Barash, WSJ, "‘The Tangled Tree’ Review: From Tiny Seeds," 9 Aug. 2018 Harrison wants readers to imagine themselves in such august company; her adorable illustrations depict all of these figures as a little black girl, an everygirl, in a variety of costumes and backdrops. — Rumaan Alam, New York Times, "Children’s Books About Black History, Heavy on Biographies," 2 Feb. 2018 Come for the novel's august reputation, but stay for the prose—this is Fitzgerald at his lyrical best. — Adrienne Westenfeld, Town & Country, "The Ultimate Preppy College Reading List," 3 Oct. 2014 He would be appalled at what that august institution has since become. — WSJ, "What Would Old George Mason Say and Do?," 20 May 2018 Beyond that, no one alive has ever seen this particular treasure outside the confines of the august American Philosophical Society on South Fifth Street. — Stephan Salisbury, Philly.com, "Rare version of the Declaration of Independence on display at the Museum of the American Revolution just in time for July 4th," 26 June 2018 This august museum is a collection of grand spaces, intimate nooks and unconventional, astute exhibition strategies. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "New England museums to visit this summer and fall," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'august.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.