May

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2010

May (pronunciation) (help·info) is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days.
May is a month of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere and spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.
The month May has been named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for “elders,” and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or “young people” (Fasti VI.88).
In both common Western calendrical systems, no other month begins on the same day of the week as May. This month and June are the only two months that have this trait, though the first day of August in a common year and the first day of October in a leap year are also unique. No other month ends on the same day of the week as May. (See: Months in various calendars)

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