summer

play

noun sum·mer \ ˈsə-mər \

Definition of summer

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

play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

See summer defined for English-language learners

See summer defined for kids

Examples of summer in a Sentence

What are your plans for this summer?
We visited them two summers ago.
the first day of summer

Recent Examples of summer from the Web

The evaluators noted the event may even have sent the wrong message: That the students on summer break were a problem, and the police planned to deal with them.

— jsonline.com, "Trust damaged between Milwaukee police and community, Department of Justice draft report says," 30 Aug. 2017
With last week's failed drug test for light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones last week and the UFC's top draw, McGregor, focused on boxing all summer, White is suddenly in desperate need of stars.

— rick maese, chicagotribune.com, "While Floyd Mayweather heads back to retirement, Conor McGregor weighs his fighting options," 27 Aug. 2017
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev greeted Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the 19th-century Euxinograd Palace north of Varna, a former summer royal retreat that was later used by the communist elite.

— alison mutler, The Seattle Times, "France’s Macron in Bulgaria on last leg of eastern EU tour," 25 Aug. 2017
However, there’s a peculiarity about it, too, foreshadowed in the book’s early stories about Gettleman’s summers on the continent: the near-total absence of meaningful African characters.

— laura seay, Washington Post, "Beach Reads: Jeffrey Gettleman’s ‘Love, Africa’," 25 Aug. 2017
Trainer Patrick Murphy recently came off the shoot of one of the biggest movies of the summer: Baywatch (out August 29 on Blu-ray).

— sarah rense, Esquire, "How Celebrities Cheat Their Super Intense Movie Fitness Regimes," 17 Aug. 2017
That stoked the summer of speculation whether he would be suspended for the Gators’ big season opener against Michigan.

— david whitley, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Callaway shows what's wrong with college sports," 15 Aug. 2017
To some, the turmoil at Uber looks an awful lot like a summer sale sign.

— brad stone, Bloomberg.com, "Uber’s Travis Kalanick Isn’t Following the Steve Jobs Blueprint," 14 Aug. 2017
Tucker views summer learning as a chance to delve deeper into subjects from a student's point of view.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "What I did on my summer vacation," 11 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'summer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of summer

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Calendar Terms

antedate, estival, gloaming, luster, sesquicentennial

summer

adjective

Definition of summer

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

Recent Examples of summer from the Web

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Summer’s coming to an end, but the fun doesn’t have to.

— cleveland.com, "10 new travel ideas for late summer, close to Cleveland (photos)," 25 Aug. 2017
Summer exhibition of Italian artists features work from painter Malacarne's Water series and glassworks from Vidal.

— luann gibbs, Cincinnati.com, "Free and fun events this weekend: Aug. 18-20," 16 Aug. 2017
Summer league play has been good for the Dallas Mavericks.

— david humphrey, star-telegram, "Mavericks add rookie free agent guard P.J. Dozier," 8 Aug. 2017
Summer seersucker suits from the Alan Flusser brand come from Stein Mart.

— cristina bolling, charlotteobserver, "5 style lessons from a former CLT homicide cop now on TV – who’s also a fashionista," 3 Aug. 2017
Summer’s heat and humidity make a face full of makeup feel oppressive.

— crystal martin, New York Times, "How to Go Makeup-Free This Summer," 1 Aug. 2017
Summer rains can cause container plants to decline; check for proper drainage.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "August in the garden," 29 July 2017
Summer heat can wilt and stress plants during the day.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Summer salad tips," 18 July 2017
Summer reading programs in South Florida libraries and bookstores encourage students to keep reading during the school break.

— South Florida Parenting, "Summer reading: Books to keep kids learning," 3 July 2017

First Known Use of summer

14th century

Other Calendar Terms

antedate, estival, gloaming, luster, sesquicentennial

summer

verb

Definition of summer

summered; summering play \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

See summer defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of summer from the Web

Instead, this is Everyman's beach - a place for day trips, not summering.

— robin givhan, chicagotribune.com, "Chelsea Manning does beach photo shoot for Vogue's September issue," 11 Aug. 2017
This is a look that the beauty entrepreneur tested this spring and while summering in the Hamptons in 2014.

— edward barsamian, Vogue, "Kim Kardashian West Combines All the Summer’s Boldest Trends in One Look," 8 Aug. 2017
Lakers summer league coach Jud Buechler told the Las Vegas Review Journal.

— mark spezia, Detroit Free Press, "Mom's support, Flint roots buoy new Laker Kyle Kuzma's impressive summer," 28 July 2017
Premier League clubs that opted to come to North America in summer 2016 – Crystal Palace, then-Premier League champion Leicester City FC and Arsenal, for instance – were instead summering at destinations in Asia and Australia.

— patrick brennan, The Courier-Journal, "How FC Cincinnati booked a marquee friendly against Valencia CF," 21 July 2017
Where would Summer after the 10 years that have passed since the show’s series finale?

— maureen lee lenker, PEOPLE.com, "Return to Summer? Rachel Bilson Says She's Open to a Revival of The O.C.!," 23 June 2017
Wealthy families have summered here for generations — bringing with them their cars.

— michelle r. smith, The Seattle Times, "Car lovers’ Newport: 2 museums highlight design on wheels," 19 June 2017
As schools let out and summer vacation season begins, motorists are spending less to fill up their gas tanks.

— ron hurtibise, Sun-Sentinel.com, "AAA: Gas prices falling fast in Florida, U.S.," 12 June 2017
Summering in Florence, Ambrose meets another cousin, Rachel—the exact relations are imprecise, with nearly everyone in the story seeming to be cousin to everyone else—falls in love, and marries her.

— christopher orr, The Atlantic, "The Disappointments of My Cousin Rachel," 9 June 2017

First Known Use of summer

15th century

SUMMER Defined for English Language Learners

summer

play

noun

Definition of summer for English Language Learners

: the warmest season of the year that is after spring and before autumn

summer

verb

Definition of summer for English Language Learners

: to spend the summer in a particular place

SUMMER Defined for Kids

summer

play

noun sum·mer \ ˈsə-mər \

Definition of summer for Students

1 :the season between spring and autumn which is in the northern hemisphere usually the months of June, July, and August

2 :one of the years of a person's lifetime

a youth of sixteen summers

summer

verb

Definition of summer for Students

summered; summering

:to pass the summer

We summered at the shore.

Learn More about summer

See words that rhyme with summer Spanish Central: Translation of summer Nglish: Translation of summer for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of summer for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about summer

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up summer? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

summer

Definition of summer

summerlike

Read the Latest from M-W

Examples of summer in a Sentence

Recent Examples of summer from the Web

Origin and Etymology of summer

Other Calendar Terms

summer

Definition of summer

Recent Examples of summer from the Web

First Known Use of summer

Other Calendar Terms

summer

Definition of summer

Recent Examples of summer from the Web

First Known Use of summer

Phrases Related to SUMMER

Related Phrases

SUMMER Defined for English Language Learners

summer

Definition of summer for English Language Learners

summer

Definition of summer for English Language Learners

SUMMER Defined for Kids

summer

Definition of summer for Students

summer

Definition of summer for Students

Learn More about summer

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

9 Slang Words With Academic Origins

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066