primaveral

American  

[prahy-muh-veer-uhl] / ˌpraɪ məˈvɪər əl /

adjective

1. of, in, or pertaining to the early springtime.

   primaveral longings to sail around the world.

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Etymology

Origin of primaveral

First recorded in 1815–25; from Spanish or Italian primaver(a) “spring” (also Portuguese, Provençal, Catalan; compare Latin prīmō vēre “in the early spring”; Romance -vera probably originally neuter plural construed as feminine, or re-formation as feminine noun) + -al ¹

Explanation

Things that evoke the feeling of early spring are called primaveral. A lot of people have things that remind them of spring, like being able to wear lightweight clothing or spotting the very first daffodils peeking through the soil. The etymology of the word primaveral traces back to two Latin roots: primus, meaning "first," and ver, meaning "spring." In many Romance languages, primavera became the standard word for the spring season. In English, the word primaveral emerged in the 1800s as a poetic way to describe anything relating to, reminiscent of, or occurring in spring's earliest moments: a primaveral thaw; a crisp, primaveral breeze; or budding, primaveral leaves on trees.

Example Sentences

From deep in the heart of Texas up to the Platte River in Nebraska stretched huge carpets of deep, primaveral green.

From Time Magazine Archive

A sure sign of primaveral delirium, the sighting touched off pandemic reports of preternatural phenomena across the U.S.

From Time Magazine Archive