the fourth month of the French revolutionary calendar, extending from Dec 22 to Jan 20
Word origin
C18: via French from Latin nivōsus snowy, from nix snow
Nivôse in American English
(niˈvouz)
noun
(in the French Revolutionary calendar)
the fourth month of the year, extending from December 21 to January 19
Word origin
[1795–1805; ‹ F ‹ L nivōsus snowy, equiv. to niv- (s. of nix) snow + -ōsus-ose1]This word is first recorded in the period 1795–1805. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: baseball, hopscotch, oxidize, sensitivity, steeplechase