Autumn Definition, Examples & Seasonal Usage

Meaning 1：fall season (autumn)

autumn 🔊

/ˈɔːtəm/

The season between summer and winter, when leaves change color and fall from the trees.

Autumn park path with fallen red orange yellow leaves

fall season 🔊

➕

/ˈfɔːl ˌsiːzn/

Autumn is the transitional season between summer and winter, characterized by cooler temperatures, shorter days, and the shedding of leaves from deciduous trees.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：primary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'autumnus', possibly from Etruscan, meaning 'passing of the year'.

💡 Mnemonic

"Au" as in "awesome" + "tumn" sounds like "them" – awesome them leaves falling!

📖 Example

The air gets crisp, and the mountains turn gold in autumn. 🔊 The air gets crisp, and the mountains turn gold in autumn.

🔗 Collocations

autumn leaves – The fallen leaves of autumn

autumn colors – The red, orange, and yellow hues of foliage

autumn equinox – The astronomical start of autumn

🔄 Synonyms

fall (n.) – The season between summer and winter, especially in American English

harvest (n.) – The season of gathering crops, often used poetically for autumn

Indian summer (n.) – A period of warm weather in late autumn

🚫 Antonyms

spring (n.) – The season between winter and summer, characterized by warming and new growth

🌱 Derivatives

autumnal (adj.) – Relating to autumn

autumnally (adv.) – In a manner typical of autumn

autumn-time (n.) – The season of autumn

📖 Cultural Story

From Latin 'autumnus', via Old French 'autompne'. It replaced Old English 'hærfest' (harvest). 'Fall' (from leaf fall) is a common synonym in North America.