summer

1 of 3

noun

sum·​mer ˈsə-mər How to pronounce summer (audio)
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 How to pronounce summer (audio)
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 How to pronounce summer (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Vibrio infections, which typically rise in the summer, have already taken some lives on the Gulf Coast, according to reports from the Louisiana Department of Health. — Alex Nettles, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Arsenal entered the summer market knowing that player trading would be a focus. — James McNicholas, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
For the third time in as many years, July jobs data saw a mid-summer loss of momentum. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026 The huge white, pink, red, or burgundy flowers that appear in mid-summer resemble hollyhocks and can reach up to 8 inches in diameter. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
Reina has been summering in Gaeta and Formia, the next town over, for decades and knows the area like the back of her hand. — Laura Itzkowitz, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026 Over the course of eight episodes, all of which are available to binge-watch August 5, Annie navigates grief, first love, and betrayal while summering on the pristine lakes of Muskoka, an isolated wilderness north of Toronto. — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for summer

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of summer was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing summer

Rhymes for summer

See All Rhymes for summer

Browse Nearby Words

summatory
summer
summer's darling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Summer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/summer. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

summer

1 of 3 noun
sum·​mer ˈsəm-ər How to pronounce summer (audio)
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 How to pronounce summer (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on summer

Nglish: Translation of summer for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about summer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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