autumnal

adjective

au·​tum·​nal ȯ-ˈtəm-nəl 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of autumn

autumnal weather

autumnal colors

the autumnal equinox

I am often surprised to see rising amid these trees the rounded tops of apple-trees glowing with red or yellow fruit, in harmony with the autumnal tints of the forest.

—Henry David Thoreau

autumnally

ȯ-ˈtəm-nə-lē 

adverb

These days on the verge of winter were autumnally fair, struck through with warmth until the swift lengthening of the shadows.

—John Updike

Examples of autumnal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Peak season here is fall, when the trees put on their fiery autumnal best, but the route is also particularly scenic in late spring, when the apple trees of the Hudson Valley are flowering. —Ellen Carpenter, AFAR Media, 24 Apr. 2025

Trending colors went in two directions — either playful mixes rarely seen for fall [like] bubblegum, lemon, sky blue and brown, or rich autumnal tones [such as] walnut, earth brown, wine, olive and turmeric. —Luisa Zargani, WWD, 2 Mar. 2025

Now, a couple of weeks after the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere, the Sun has set on the South Pole until September. —ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025

Theoretically, if all the stars aligned and the moon phase was just right during the autumnal solstice, the car could be charged from completely dead to 100% in just over 16 minutes. —Joe Salas, New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin autumnālis, from autumnus autumn + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above