summer

1 of 3

noun

sum·​mer ˈsə-mər 

1

: the season between spring and autumn comprising in the northern hemisphere usually the months of June, July, and August or as reckoned astronomically extending from the June solstice to the September equinox

2

: the warmer half of the year

3

: year

a girl of seventeen summers

4

: a period of maturing powers

summerlike

ˈsə-mər-ˌlīk 

adjective

summer

2 of 3

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or suitable for summer

summer vacation

a summer home

2

: sown in the spring and harvested in the same year as sown

summer wheat

compare winter

summer

3 of 3

verb

summered; summering ˈsə-mə-riŋ 

ˈsəm-riŋ

intransitive verb

: to pass the summer

transitive verb

: to keep or carry through the summer

especially : to provide (cattle, sheep, etc.) with pasture during the summer

Examples of summer in a Sentence

Noun

What are your plans for this summer?

We visited them two summers ago.

the first day of summer

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Edmonton Oilers spent the summer fixing long-standing cap issues, addressing immediate team needs and getting younger at important roster spots. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

When Jacquie Navratil rolls up to Angel City Lumber in an all-but-deserted stretch of industrial Boyle Heights on a summer Sunday, her white Dodge Caravan SE loaded with cat-trapping gear, she’s been in cat rescue mode for hours. — Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Adjective

In IconArrows pointing outwards The steadiness at the index level reflects full sponsorship of equities by professional investors, who appear undaunted by the ubiquitous warnings of weak post-summer seasonal patterns. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026

Here are the best post-swim haircare products, including shampoo that gets green out, a treatment that revitalizes post-summer strands, and a hair mask that acts like a swim cap. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 22 Aug. 2026

Verb

The couple, who have been married for almost 12 years, have been Euro summering all season long. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026

Between drought, heat, and wildfire, much of the world is summering in record-breaking territory. — John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sumer, from Old English sumor; akin to Old High German & Old Norse sumer summer, Sanskrit samā year, season

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing summer

• high summer
• Indian summer
• Saint Martin's summer
• snow-in-summer
• St. Martin's summer
• summer camp
• summer cypress
• summer flounder
• summer home
• summer job
• summer kitchen
• summer savory
• summer school
• summer squash
• summer stock
• summer theater
• summer time

Rhymes for summer

• bummer
• comer
• drummer
• dumber
• hummer
• plumber
• plummer
• somer
• trimer
• midsummer
• newcomer

Kids Definition

summer

1 of 3 noun

sum·​mer ˈsəm-ər 

1

: the season between spring and autumn that usually includes the months of June, July, and August in the northern hemisphere

2

: the warmer half of the year

3

: one of the years of one's life

a child of eight summers

4

: a time of fulfillment

summer

2 of 3 adjective

: of or for the summer

summer flowers

a summer job

summer

3 of 3 verb

summered; summering ˈsəm-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to pass the summer

2

: to keep or carry through the summer

especially : to provide (as cattle or sheep) with pasture during the summer