Definition of 'summer'

Word Frequency

summer

(sʌməʳ )

Word forms: plural summers

1. variable noun

Summer is the season between spring and autumn when the weather is usually warm or hot.

In summer I like to go sailing in Long Island.

I escaped the heatwave in London earlier this summer and flew to Cork.

It was a perfect summer's day.

...in the summer of 1987.

...the summer holidays.

He used to spend childhood summers with his grandparents.

2. See also high summer, Indian summer

Video: pronunciation of
summer

summer in British English 1

(ˈsʌmə )

noun

1. (sometimes capital)

the warmest season of the year, between spring and autumn, astronomically from the June solstice to the September equinox in the N hemisphere and at the opposite time of year in the S hemisphere

(as modifier)

summer flowers

a summer dress

▶ Related adjective: aestival

the period of hot weather associated with the summer

a time of blossoming, greatest happiness, etc

4. mainly poetic

a year represented by this season

a child of nine summers

verb

5. (intransitive)

to spend the summer (at a place)

6. (transitive)

to keep or feed (farm animals) during the summer

they summered their cattle on the mountain slopes

Derived forms

summerless (ˈsummerless)

adjective

summer-like (ˈsummer-ˌlike)

adjective

summerly (ˈsummerly)

adjective, adverb

summery (ˈsummery)

adjective

summeriness (ˈsummeriness)

noun

Word origin

Old English sumor; related to Old Frisian sumur, Old Norse sumar, Old High German sumar, Sanskrit samā season

Word Frequency

summer in British English 2

(ˈsʌmə )

noun

1. Also called: summer tree

a large horizontal beam or girder, esp one that supports floor joists

2. another name for lintel

a stone on the top of a column, pier, or wall that supports an arch or lintel

Word origin

C14: from Anglo-Norman somer, from Old French somier beam, packhorse, from Late Latin sagmārius (equus) pack(horse), from sagma a packsaddle, from Greek

Word Frequency

summer in American English 1

(ˈsʌmər )

noun

the warmest season of the year: in the North Temperate Zone, generally regarded as including the months of June, July, and August: in the astronomical year, that period between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox

a year as reckoned by this season

a youth of sixteen summers

any period of growth, development, fulfillment, perfection, etc.

adjective

of or typical of summer

designed for or taking place during summer

summer activities

verb intransitive

to pass the summer

verb transitive

to keep, feed, or maintain during the summer

Word origin

ME sumer < OE sumor, akin to Ger sommer < IE base *sem-, summertime > Sans sámā, half year, season

Word Frequency

summer in American English 2

(ˈsʌmər )

noun

a large, horizontal, supporting beam or girder

lintel

the capstone of a column supporting an arch or lintel

Word origin

ME < OFr somier, pack horse < LL sagmarius, pack horse < sagma, pack saddle < Gr < base of sattein, to stuff

Examples of 'summer' in a sentence
summer

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…

The final match schedule will be compiled by early summer.The situation appeared to disappear and there were no cases in the spring and summer months.This is a pattern all too familiar from other soggy summers in recent years.Sales for the upcoming summer season are up nine per cent on the same time last year.On a sunny summer day one can be overwhelmed by the abundance of the wildlife.The impact of school disruption emerged as two teaching unions called for action this summer and autumn.The tropics are shaded in winter and the summer hemisphere is lit up at night.He won three times last summer and has been running in much better races than this.This summer is going to be our most challenging tour.They spend the summer grazing before being brought down to be sold over the next few months.