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sum·mer¹

(sŭmər)

a. In the Northern Hemisphere, the usually warmest season of the year, occurring between spring and autumn and constituting June, July, and August. In the Southern Hemisphere, it constitutes December, January, and February.

b. The season extending from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox.

2. A period of fruition, fulfillment, happiness, or beauty.

3. A year: a girl of 13 summers.

v. sum·mered, sum·mer·ing, sum·mers

v.tr.

To lodge or keep during the summer: summered the herd in the south meadow.

v.intr.

To pass the summer: They summered at a beach resort.

adj.

1. Relating to or occurring in summer: summer heat; summer attire.

2. Grown during the season of summer: summer crops.

[Middle English sumer, from Old English sumor; see sem-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

summer·ly adv. & adj.

sum·mer²

(sŭmər)

1. A heavy horizontal timber that serves as a supporting beam, especially for the floor above.

2. A lintel.

3. A large, heavy stone usually set on the top of a column or pilaster to support an arch or lintel.

[Middle English, beam, pack animal, from Anglo-Norman sumer, from Vulgar Latin *saumārius, from Late Latin sagmārius, pertaining to a packsaddle, packhorse, from sagma, packsaddle; see SUMPTER.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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