autumn

noun

au·​tumn ˈȯ-təm How to pronounce autumn (audio)
1
: the season between summer and winter comprising in the northern hemisphere usually the months of September, October, and November or as reckoned astronomically extending from the September equinox to the December solstice

called also fall

2
: a period of maturity or incipient decline
in the autumn of life

Examples of autumn in a Sentence

in the autumn of last year a magnificent New England autumn She went off to college in the autumn of 1999. When autumn came he planted grass.
Recent Examples on the Web The stock market has already soared since the autumn of 2022 and shows every sign of powering higher. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 The band will then take a break before resuming the tour in the autumn. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 21 Mar. 2024 Others had questions about the length of George’s arms, which are wrapped around his mother’s shoulders, while some wondered if the leaves on the trees in the background show that the photo was shot in the autumn. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 This will give most Americans an extra hour of sunlight until the clocks fall back again in the autumn. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2024 Consider visiting in the shoulder seasons—spring (April to May) or autumn (September to early October)—when the weather is still relatively mild. David Nikel, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence in Givenchy Haute Couture autumn/winter 1996 at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024 Daylight saving time lasts for a little under eight months, or about 65% of the year, covering spring, summer, and half of autumn. S. Dev, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 Slainte, Oakland After a short closure last autumn, Slainte is back in business and maintaining the standards set by original owner Jackie Gallanagh, a Donegal native who founded this cozy, atmospheric pub near Jack London Square in 2017. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autumn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English autumpne, borrowed from Anglo-French autompne, borrowed from Latin autumnus (also an adjective, "autumnal"), perhaps a borrowing from Etruscan

Note: Ernout and Meillet (Dictionaire étymologique de la langue latine) regard an Etruscan origin as definite ("sans doute") and compare the form to Vertumnus/Vortumnus, claimed by Varro to be an Etruscan god. (The Romans regarded Vertumnus as a god of the changing seasons, by association with the verb vertere "to turn.")

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of autumn was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Autumn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autumn. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

autumn

noun
au·​tumn ˈȯt-əm How to pronounce autumn (audio)
1
: the season between summer and winter including in the northern hemisphere usually the months of September, October, and November

called also fall

2
: a time late in an existence
in the autumn of life
autumnal adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on autumn

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