eleventh month of the lunar calendar
Obsolete term used in the traditional Japanese lunar calendar. The eleventh month corresponds roughly to December in the modern calendar. Not used in contemporary Japanese outside of historical or literary contexts.
In the old lunar calendar, the eleventh month (子月) falls around the end of winter.
From the Chinese zodiac system: 子 (the Rat, the first Earthly Branch) is associated with the eleventh month in the traditional East Asian lunar calendar. The reading ねづき combines 子 (ね, the Rat) with 月 (つき, month).