summer

¹

[ suhm-er ]

noun

1. the season between spring and autumn, in the Northern Hemisphere from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox, and in the Southern Hemisphere from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox.
2. the period comprising the months of June, July, and August in the United States, and from the middle of May to the middle of August in Great Britain.
3. a period of hot, usually sunny weather:

   We had no real summer last year.

4. the hotter half of the year ( winter ):

   They spend the summers in New Hampshire and the winters in Florida.

5. the period of finest development, perfection, or beauty previous to any decline:

   the summer of life.

6. a whole year as represented by this season:

   a girl of fifteen summers.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of summer:

   Iced tea is a summer drink.

2. appropriate for or done during the summer:

   summer clothes;

   summer sports.

3. having the weather or warmth of summer:

   summer days in late October.

verb (used without object)

1. to spend or pass the summer:

   They summered in Maine.

verb (used with object)

1. to keep, feed, or manage during the summer:

   Sheep are summered in high pastures.

2. to make summerlike.

summer

²

[ suhm-er ]

noun

1. a principal beam or girder, as one running between girts to support joists.
2. a stone laid upon a pier, column, or wall, from which one or more arches spring: usually molded or otherwise treated like the arch or arches springing from it.
3. a beam or lintel.

summer

¹

/ ˈsʌmə /

noun

1. Also calledsummer tree a large horizontal beam or girder, esp one that supports floor joists
2. another name for lintel
3. a stone on the top of a column, pier, or wall that supports an arch or lintel

summer

²

/ ˈsʌmə /

noun

1. sometimes capital
   1. 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
   2. ( as modifier ) aestival

      summer flowers

      a summer dress

2. the period of hot weather associated with the summer
3. a time of blossoming, greatest happiness, etc
4. poetic.
   a year represented by this season

   a child of nine summers

verb

1. intr to spend the summer (at a place)
2. tr to keep or feed (farm animals) during the summer

   they summered their cattle on the mountain slopes

Derived Forms

• ˈsummer-ˌlike, adjective
• ˈsummeriness, noun
• ˈsummery, adjective
• ˈsummerless, adjective
• ˈsummerly, adjectiveadverb

Other Words From

• summer·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of summer¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English somer, Old English sumor; cognate with Dutch zomer, German Sommer, Old Norse sumar “summer”; akin to Sanskrit sámā “season, half-year, year,” Old Irish sam-, Old Welsh ham, Welsh haf “summer”

Origin of summer²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English somer, from Anglo-French; Old French somier “packhorse, beam,” from unattested Vulgar Latin saumārius, equivalent to Latin sagm(a) “packsaddle” (from Greek ságma ) + -ārius noun suffix; -ary, -er ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of summer¹

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

Origin of summer²

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

Example Sentences

Sir Keir shrugged off her attack, saying there had already been a "massive petition" in the summer, when voters returned Labour to power.

From BBC

The Arctic is warming at least twice as fast as the rest of the planet, causing sea ice to melt and raising the risk of an ice-free Arctic summer.

From Science Daily

The inflation risk stalking the markets eased over the summer, but it never really went away.

From New York Times

On 13 November, the Sun published photos it says were taken during this summer's European Championship, alleging that they appear to show Coote sniffing a white powder through a rolled up US bank note.

From BBC

It was the former England captain's heaviest loss since taking over at Home Park in the summer.

From BBC

Related Words

• summertime
• vacation