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autumn definition

au·tumn (ôt′əm)

noun

  1. the season that comes between summer and winter; fall: in the astronomical year, that period between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice
  2. any period of maturity or of beginning decline

Etymology: ME autumpne < OFr autompne < L autumnus, auctumnus; prob. of Etr orig.

adjective

of, in, for, or characteristic of fall

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

autumn Synonyms

autumn

n.

fall, harvest time, Indian summer, autumnal equinox, close of the year.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

autumn Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • year: My aim is to have the garments ready in the late summer for early autumn of next year.

Converse of object

  • begin: And the convention's outcome still has to be unanimously passed by the next government conference beginning this autumn.

Preposition: for

  • poultry: For the foreseeable few years Avian Influenza [ Bird flu ] will be an added complication each autumn for poultry and waterfowl keepers.

Adjective modifier

  • summer/early: At that time, it was anticipated that recruitment might commence in late summer/early autumn.

Modifies a noun

  • equinox: In the pagan wheel of the year the spring equinox is the time of Ostara and the autumn equinox is that of Mabon.
autumn usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

autumn quotes

Coldly, sadly descends The autumn evening. The field Strewn with its dank yellow drifts Of withered leaves, and the elms, Fade into dimness apace, Silent;öhardlya shout From a few boys late at their play!

-Arnold, Matthew

OAutumn, laden with fruit, and stained With the blood of grape, pass not, but sit Beneath my shady roof; there thou may'st rest, And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe, And all the daughters of the year shall dance! Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

-Blake,William

Clear Cymric voices carry well this Autumn night, Aneurin and Taliesin, cruel owls for whom it is never altogether dark before the rules made poetry a pedant's game.

-Bunting, Basil

autumn quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"autumn." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/autumn>

APA Style

autumn. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/autumn

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