autumn
/ˈɔːtəm/
noun
Origin
Latin
autumnus — autumn, harvest season
Overview
Meaning Now
- the season between summer and winter
- the period of decline or maturity
Literal older meaning
the harvest season
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
autumpne
Earliest period
Middle English (c. 1300)
Journey
In Latin and later European usage, the word named the harvest season. English later also favored the native word 'fall' in North America, but 'autumn' remained standard in formal and literary use.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
autumnus
“autumn, harvest season”
The standard Latin word for the season.
- Old French (c. 12th c.)
autompne / automne
“autumn”
Borrowed from Latin; the consonant cluster was simplified in French forms.
- Middle English (c. 1300)
autumpne
“autumn”
Entered English through Anglo-Norman/Old French; spelling varied widely.
- Early Modern English (16th c.)
autumn
“autumn”
Latinized spelling became standard in learned and literary usage.
- Modern English
autumn
“the season after summer”
Also extended metaphorically to later life or decline.
Connections
Word parts
autumn
root
season of harvest and decline
Related across languages
French
automne
autumn
Spanish
otoño
autumn
Italian
autunno
autumn
Portuguese
outono
autumn
Romanian
toamnă
autumn
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Related to autumn
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.