What does summer mean?
Summer is the warmest season of the year, generally following spring and preceding autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere it covers roughly March to September, while in the Southern Hemisphere its calendar months are reversed. The word is also used attributively for anything associated with the season, including holidays, activities, clothing, and weather. References to summer often evoke heat, outdoor recreation, travel, and a welcome break from routine, although the experience varies greatly with climate and hemisphere. As a countable noun, a summer can denote a particular season in a particular year, as in “the summer of 2024,” or an extended period associated with warmth and leisure. In formal writing, “summer” remains the natural general term, while “summertime” may sound more traditional or literary. It can also function rarely as a literary verb, especially in phrases such as “to summer somewhere,” meaning to spend a season there.
The warmest season of the year, following spring and preceding autumn; also a particular season in a given year or a period of warm weather.
"Last summer was unusually hot and dry."
The countable form is used for individual seasons: “the summer of 1987.” The phrase “in summer” is standard for the season generally.
Relating to, occurring during, or characteristic of the warmest season of the year.
"The children spent their summer days swimming in the lake."
This attributive use is common before words such as holidays, vacations, activities, and clothing.
Use the plural for distinct seasons or recurring periods, especially when comparing different years or locations.
"The summers of the 1990s were noticeably cooler."
Summer arrives at opposite times in the two hemispheres: when Europe warms up, Australia and South America are entering winter.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of summer
The word descends from Old English sumor, the name of the warm season. It is cognate with German Sommer and Dutch zomer, which continue the same ancestral Germanic form. The broader family includes “estival,” a formal adjective derived through Latin and French that means occurring in or relating to summer.
How summer is actually used
The word is standard in British and American English. When used as an adjective, it generally refers to the season, holidays, weather, or activities associated with it. In literary and archaic usage, it can also be a verb meaning to spend the summer.