autumn

noun

au·​tumn ˈȯ-təm 

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

Synonyms of autumn

• age
• afternoon
• twilight
• evening
• winter

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

In the carousel of photos, one picture is seen of the loving couple with all smiles, cheek-to-cheek, taking a selfie with soft autumn tones — yellow and orange foliage — in the background. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 6 Dec. 2025

It was put in the lobby this autumn. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025

At sunrise in autumn, the ecliptic — the apparent path the sun, moon and planets take across the sky over the course of a year — makes a steeper-than-average angle with the horizon for Northern Hemisphere observers. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 4 Dec. 2025

Winter fertilizer or winterization products abound at garden centers in autumn, but they are not always needed. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 Dec. 2025

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

Phrases Containing autumn

• autumn crocus

Rhymes for autumn

• bottom
• scrotum

Kids Definition

autumn

noun

au·​tumn ˈȯt-əm 

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

ȯ-ˈtəm-nəl 

adjective