season

American  

[see-zuhn] / ˈsi zən /

noun

• seasons
  plural

1. one of the four periods of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), beginning astronomically at an equinox or solstice, but geographically at different dates in different climates.

2. a period of the year characterized by particular conditions of weather, temperature, etc..

   the rainy season.

3. a period of the year when something is best or available.

   the oyster season.

4. a period of the year marked by certain conditions, activities, etc..

   baseball season.

5. a period of the year immediately before and after a special holiday or occasion.

   the Christmas season.

6. Sports.

   1. a period with reference to the total number of games to be played by a team.

      a 162-game season.

   2. a period with reference to the won-lost record of a team after it has completed its schedule.

      a .700 season.

7. any period or time.

   in the season of my youth.

8. a suitable, proper, fitting, or right time.

   This is not the season for frivolity.

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verb (used with object)

• seasons,
  present (3rd person singular)
• seasoned,
  past participle,  past
• seasoning
  present participle

1. to heighten or improve the flavor of (food) by adding condiments, spices, herbs, or the like.

2. to give relish or a certain character to.

   conversation seasoned with wit.

3. to mature, ripen, or condition by exposure to suitable conditions or treatment.

   a writer seasoned by experience.

4. to dry or otherwise treat (lumber) so as to harden and render immune to shrinkage, warpage, etc.

5. to accustom or harden.

   troops seasoned by battle.

verb (used without object)

• seasons,
  present (3rd person singular)
• seasoned,
  past participle,  past
• seasoning
  present participle

1. to become seasoned, matured, hardened, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   toughen, harden, mature

idioms

1. out of season, not in season.

   The price is so high because lilacs are out of season now.

2. in good season, in enough time; sufficiently early.

   Applicants will be notified of our decision in good season.

3. for a season, for a time, especially a short time.

   He lived in Paris for a season.

4. in season,

   1. in the time or state for use, eating, etc..

      Asparagus is now in season.

   2. in the period regulated by law, as for hunting and fishing.

   3. at the right time; opportunely.

   4. (of an animal, especially female) in a state of readiness for mating; in heat.

   5. in good season.

5. in season and out of season, regardless of time or season; at all times.

   Misfortunes plague this family in season and out of season.

season British  

/ ˈsiːzən /

noun

1. one of the four equal periods into which the year is divided by the equinoxes and solstices, resulting from the apparent movement of the sun north and south of the equator during the course of the earth's orbit around it. These periods (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) have their characteristic weather conditions in different regions, and occur at opposite times of the year in the N and S hemispheres

2. a period of the year characterized by particular conditions or activities

   the rainy season

3. the period during which any particular species of animal, bird, or fish is legally permitted to be caught or killed

   open season on red deer

4. a period during which a particular entertainment, sport, etc, takes place

   a season at the National Theatre

   the football season

   the tourist season

5. (esp formerly) a period of fashionable social events in a particular place

   the London season

6. any definite or indefinite period

7. any of the major periods into which the ecclesiastical calendar is divided, such as Lent, Advent, or Easter

8. (sometimes capital) Christmas (esp in the phrases compliments of the season, Season's greetings )

9. a period or time that is considered proper, suitable, or natural for something

10. early enough

11. 1. (of game) permitted to be caught or killed

    2. (of fresh food) readily available

    3. Also: in heat.   on heat.  (of some female mammals) sexually receptive

    4. appropriate

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verb

1. (tr) to add herbs, salt, pepper, or spice to (food)

2. (tr) to add zest to

3. (in the preparation of timber) to undergo or cause to undergo drying

4. (tr; usually passive) to make or become mature or experienced

   seasoned troops

5. (tr) to mitigate or temper

   to season one's admiration with reticence

season Scientific  

/ sē′zən /

1. One of four natural divisions of the year—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—in temperate zones. Each season has its own characteristic weather and lasts approximately three months. The change in the seasons is brought about by the shift in the angle at which the Sun's rays strike the Earth. This angle changes as the Earth orbits in its yearly cycle around the Sun due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. For example, when the northern or southern hemisphere of the Earth is at an angle predominantly facing the Sun and has more daylight hours of direct, overhead sunlight than nighttime hours, it is in its summer season; the opposite hemisphere is in then opposite condition and is in its winter season.

2. See also equinox solstice

3. In some tropical climates, either of the two divisions—rainy and dry—into which the year is divided. These divisions are defined on the basis of levels of precipitation.

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season More Idioms  

1. see in season; open season.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preseason
  noun
• seasoner
  noun
• reseason
  verb
• overseason
  verb (used with object)
• nonseasoned
  adjective
• postseason
  adjective
• seasoned
  adjective
• seasonless
  adjective
• well-seasoned
  adjective
• seasonedly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• seasons
  plural

Participles

• seasoning
  present
• seasoned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• season
  simple
• seasons
  simple
• have seasoned
  perfect
• has seasoned
  perfect
• am seasoning
  progressive
• are seasoning
  progressive
• is seasoning
  progressive
• have been seasoning
  perfect progressive
• has been seasoning
  perfect progressive

Past

• seasoned
  simple
• had seasoned
  perfect
• was seasoning
  progressive
• were seasoning
  progressive
• had been seasoning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will season
  simple
• will have seasoned
  perfect
• will be seasoning
  progressive
• will have been seasoning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of season

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the noun) Middle English seso(u)n, from Old French se(i)son, from Latin satiōn-, stem of satiō “a sowing” (in Vulgar Latin: “sowing time”), from sa-, variant stem of serere “to sow” + -tiō -tion; (for the verb) Middle English seso(u)nen, from Old French saisonner “to ripen, make palatable by aging,” derivative of se(i)son

Explanation

A season is one of the four parts of a year. Those four seasons are spring, summer, fall, and winter. There’s also baseball season, the Christmas season, and according to the Zombies, there’s always the “Time of the Season” for love. Seasons are marked by the Earth's position in relation to the sun — so when it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it's winter in the Southern Hemisphere. In temperate places, winter is cold, spring marks the birth of plants and animals, summer is warm, and in autumn temperatures get cooler again. You can also use season to mean "period of the year" or "time when a sport is played." As a verb, it means "add flavor."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

season seasons seasoned seasoning

The contract of manager Kurt Suzuki expires at the end of the season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

That means a season like this one may become less of a one-off, and more of a preview of what British farming has to deal with regularly.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Maddux, a pitching coach for five major league teams, and Scott each was in his first season in Anaheim.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Glave has made significant progress this season, breaking the 10-second barrier for the first time in legal conditions to win his first British title in June.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

They loved her Yiddish and her sensible clothes, and they faithfully bought passes to her film festivals season after season.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Palace have won the FA Cup, Community Shield and Uefa Conference League in the last two seasons.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

You’d need to carefully research where you want to live, and ideally, “test-drive” the location during both peak and off-peak seasons.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

It’s another season of quality quarterbacks with the class of 2029 particularly strong after terrific freshman seasons by such players as Thaddeus Breaux of L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Farmers across the UK are grappling with one of the driest, hottest growing seasons in decades.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

That was the moment Danny could feel everything changing, like the turn of the planets and the seasons and all the things that couldn’t be controlled.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

Even seasoned investment analysts struggle to value the long-term potential of asteroid mining.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

This was meant to be nerve-wracking for a team with no major tournament experience against seasoned opponents.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Mack learned the importance of passing down knowledge as a youngster in Oakland under the tutelage of seasoned veterans Charles Woodson and Justin Tuck.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

I seasoned the tomato with salt and a little garlic powder, which supplied savory warmth without the acridity fresh garlic can bring.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

She wanted to show us the other side of Marguerite Cartwright Avenue, where the seasoned professors lived, with the duplexes hemmed in by gravely driveways.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

It’s also mild in flavor, making it an exceptional canvas for seasoning and aromatics.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Finish with a few dashes of your favorite umami seasoning blend and bits of crispy prosciutto.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Hidden Valley saw a 7% bump in monthly sales of its own travel-friendly dry seasoning, dressing and recipe mix.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

The woman claimed that the street vendor had thrown the Mexican seasoning — Tajin — on her face.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

She collected the stems of wild ginger for seasoning rice and yarrow leaves for tea.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• fall
• period
• summer
• time
• winter