cuffing season

American  

[kuhf-ing see-zuhn] / ˈkʌf ɪŋ ˌsi zən /

noun

Slang.

1. a period during the fall and winter seasons, including holidays from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day, when people are more inclined to pair up in committed romantic relationships.

   I’m sitting out cuffing season this year—I was miserable tied down like that last winter.

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Etymology

Origin of cuffing season

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

It’s turtlenecks and quality sweaters, buying decorative gourds for an evening dinner party and coupling up for cuffing season, if not longer term.

From Los Angeles Times

I’d also say that while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a short-term fling to keep you company a few nights a week when it’s cold outside, I would gently encourage singles, especially young people, to resist the urge to subscribe to “cuffing season.”

From Seattle Times

Cuffing season is over and those summer nights are a few months away, but an intriguing constellation of relationships is heating up in Hollywood.

From Washington Post

As cuffing season meets coughing season and airport crowds are reaching pre-pandemic levels, more travelers are likely getting on a plane when they’re not feeling 100 percent.

From Washington Post

If you’re single, it’s easy for cuffing season and the slew of end-of-year gatherings to turn you into a holiday Grinch.

From Los Angeles Times