summer

summer


Pronunciation

summer: /ˈsʌmər/

  • Sum-: /sʌm/

    • /s/: voiceless alveolar fricative

    • /ʌ/: near-open front unrounded vowel (as in "cup")

    • /m/: voiced bilabial nasal

  • -mer: /ər/

    • /ər/: r-colored vowel (schwa + r)


Word Form Variations

  • Singular Noun: summer

  • Plural Noun: summers



Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

  1. Definition: The warmest season of the year, typically characterized by long daylight hours, higher temperatures, and often, for many regions, a time of vacation and outdoor activities.

    • Synonyms: summertime, warm season, hot season

    • Antonyms: winter, cold season, chill

  2. Definition: A period of significant growth, flourishing, or peak activity within a larger cycle or process, metaphorically representing a prosperous or enjoyable phase.

    • Synonyms: prime, heyday, peak, zenith, blossom

    • Antonyms: decline, wane, autumn, winter (metaphorical)

Verb

  1. Definition: (To) spend the summer season in a particular place or engaged in a specific activity, often implying a leisurely or vacation-oriented stay.

    • Synonyms: vacation, holiday, sojourn, reside (temporarily)

    • Antonyms: winter (as a verb), leave, depart


Examples of Use

Books:

  • "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities) – While this famous quote speaks of seasons generally, Dickens frequently uses "summer" to evoke specific moods or settings within his narratives.

  • "Every summer, my grandmother would tell us stories about her childhood in the countryside, tales filled with mischievous adventures and warm, sun-drenched days." (A contemporary novel focused on family history)

Newspapers:

  • "Record-breaking temperatures are predicted for this summer across much of Europe, prompting concerns about heatwaves and water shortages." (The Guardian)

  • "Local businesses are bracing for a busy tourist summer, with bookings already exceeding pre-pandemic levels." (Daily Nation)

Online Publications:

  • "The best beach reads for your summer vacation, from thrilling mysteries to heartwarming romances." (Oprah Daily)

  • "How to keep your pets cool and safe during the hottest days of summer." (PetMD)

Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

  • Film: "Last Summer" (a recent independent film exploring themes of youth and nostalgia).

  • Music: "Summertime" (a classic jazz standard frequently covered by artists across genres). "Summer of '69" (Bryan Adams, 1984).

  • Television: "Love Island," a popular reality dating show, often set in a sunny, "summer" vacation environment (ITV2, ongoing).

  • Video Games: "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" features distinct summer seasons with unique activities like catching specific insects and fish.

  • Podcasts: "The Summer of the UFOs," a true-crime podcast exploring unusual sightings and events during a particular summer.

General Public Discourse:

  • "Are you doing anything exciting this summer?" (Common question among friends and colleagues).

  • "I can't wait for summer to finally get here so we can go camping." (Conversational exchange).

  • "This reminds me of the summer after high school when we all used to hang out at the lake." (Reminiscing about past experiences).



10 Quotes Using Summer

  1. "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate." (William Shakespeare)

  2. "Summer afternoon; summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." (Henry James)

  3. "And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby)

  4. "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." (Albert Camus)

  5. "What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." (John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America)

  6. "One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter." (Henry David Thoreau)

  7. "Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill." (Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird)

  8. "Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August." (Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty)

  9. "Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time." (John Lubbock)

  10. Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun." (Brian Wilson)


Etymology

The word "summer" is very old! It's been around in English for a long, long time, recorded even before the year 900.

It comes from the Old English word "sumor," which simply meant the "summer season."

Tracing it back further, "sumor" came from a much older language called Proto-Germanic (the ancestor of languages like English, German, and Dutch). In Proto-Germanic, the word was something like "sumra-."

And even before that, we can go all the way back to an ancient language called Proto-Indo-European, which is like the great-grandparent of many languages spoken today across Europe and parts of Asia. The root word there was believed to be something like "sem-," which could mean "one" or "together with," or possibly even related to "year." While the exact connection to "one" isn't immediately obvious for a season, it's thought that the sense of a complete cycle or a defined period might be where that link comes from.

So, in essence, the word "summer" has always referred to the warmest season, and its roots are very deep in the history of our language!



Phrases + Idioms Containing Summer

Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "summer":

  • Indian summer: A period of warm, dry, hazy weather in late autumn.

  • One swallow does not a summer make: A single good event does not necessarily mean that a situation will be good.

  • The summer of one's life: The prime or most flourishing period of a person's life.

  • Summer lovin': A short, intense romantic relationship, typically during the summer months.

  • Summer house: A small building in a garden, used for relaxation in warm weather.

  • Dog days of summer: The hottest and most humid days of summer.

  • Summer bummer: A disappointing summer experience.

  • A summer breeze: Something light and pleasant.

  • Summer fling: A brief, casual romantic relationship during the summer.

  • To summer somewhere: To spend the summer season in a particular location.


Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA


Source Information

Definition of summer from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.


KIRU

KIRU is an American artist, author and entrepreneur based in Brooklyn, New York. He is the Founder of KIRUNIVERSE, a creative enterprise home to brands and media platforms in business + strategy, mental wellness, the creative arts and more.

https://www.highaski.com
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