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 elegant, shallow, and rectangular pool in the backyard—it's surrounded by comfortable lounge chairs and framed by wildflowers and massive white hydrangeas in the summer. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026

Next are the sunny days and cool nights of high-altitude summers, which encourage production of sugars and other compounds that make the fruits teasingly tangy and blissfully sweet. — Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026

Adjective

First elected in 2020 in an upset race, Raman is running close to Bass in the Mayoral polls, and has seen an uptick as the campaign has kicked into post-summer high-gear. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026

That’s a whole bunch of easy dinner options to help ease those post-summer blues. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2026

Verb

But his family summered in Santo Stefano Belbo, the village of his paternal ancestors; Pavese also attended his first year of school in the village while his sister recovered from typhus. — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Commentary and opinion Mosquitoes are making Los Angeles summers a living hell, argues columnist Robin Abcarian. — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 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