autumn

noun

au·​tumn ˈȯ-təm How to pronounce autumn (audio)
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

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 Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence in Givenchy Haute Couture autumn/winter 1996 at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024 Daylight saving time lasts for a little under eight months, or about 65% of the year, covering spring, summer, and half of autumn. S. Dev, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 Slainte, Oakland After a short closure last autumn, Slainte is back in business and maintaining the standards set by original owner Jackie Gallanagh, a Donegal native who founded this cozy, atmospheric pub near Jack London Square in 2017. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Safeguards against infection and milder illness start to fade within months, leaving people who dose up in autumn potentially more susceptible to exposures by spring. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2024 Todd Helton, Peyton Manning and a 1994 autumn in the Tennessee QB room that changed everything for two Hall of Famers Rockies spring training roundup: Michael Toglia stays hot, hits second homer Adael Amador, the Rockies’ top prospect, is flashing star potential. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2024 But a long, dry autumn makes up for a cold winter and a cool spring. Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Her autumn/winter 2024 collection showcased styles including sheer dresses, garments with sculpted curved hems and necklines, and boxy blazers. Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 In the autumn of 1897, after gold was discovered in the Klondike, my English great-grandfather rode out from a cattle ranch near Edmonton, Alberta, to make his fortune. Sophy Roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autumn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of autumn was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Autumn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autumn. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

autumn

noun
au·​tumn ˈȯt-əm How to pronounce autumn (audio)
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 adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on autumn

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