cuffing season

noun

: a time of the year when people who are not married or in a relationship (see relationship sense 2c) begin looking for a short-term romantic partner to spend the colder months of the year with

It's cuffing season, that time of year when the weather turns cold and the search is on for someone to spend all your inside time with.

—Vaugh Vreeland

Cuffing season may sound like another dating trend, but it's grounded in biology …

—Simone Paget

New research from a survey of 2,000 single millennial and Gen Z respondents 21 and older found that as cuffing season approaches, what singles order at the bar may say more about their dating confidence than ever before.

—The Messenger

Note: Usage of the term cuffing to reference romantic partnerships originated in African American English and was popularized by rap and hip-hop music. It has since become widespread.

Word History

Etymology

cuff entry 2 in sense "to be in a romantic relationship (with)"

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above