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 Athletic has reported that Barca’s interest in retaining Rashford after his loan spell ends this summer has cooled. —Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026

Emmy winner Chris O’Dowd (The IT Crowd) has inked a deal to join comedian Bill Burr in Bender, the coming-of-age comedy shooting in Ireland this summer. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026

Adjective

To make matters worse, if that’s possible, Spirit’s heading into the slow, pre-summer May season when the industry’s bookings and revenues fall. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

Welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where LPGA star Nelly Korda hits the beach for some pre-summer R&R. —Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Verb

Every year, Churchill, Manitoba, becomes a haven for the largest summering population of beluga whales in the world. —Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026

Our diminutive hero, at a little more than a year and a half, is old enough for a mate, but there are only about 250 piping plovers summering around the Great Lakes, and many are already paired off. —Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 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