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

It is the immortilisation of the most famous goal in English league football history, when City snatched the trophy away from Manchester United in the dying seconds of the 2011-12 season.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The days since have prompted questions across the country about Riley’s future at USC, where he’s midway through his fifth season as coach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

It’s no coincidence that the Chiefs, whose 10-year playoff streak ended last season, are off to a 3-0 start and looking like contenders to win the fourth Super Bowl of the Patrick Mahomes era.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Procedures can be hurried to meet certain deadlines, like the end of a league season.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

She wasn’t due to film a new season until January, though.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

In that scenario, it would be busted down one or more divisions and forced to work its way back up over the course of several seasons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Commercial income from sponsors totalled £949.94m in the seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

For entire seasons, it seemed as if Guardiola’s army couldn’t be stopped.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

This is how the club's financial statements for the seasons between 2009-10 and 2017-18 did not show a true and fair view of the financial position:

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

One chorus described the changing of seasons, from fall to winter, from winter to spring, and how water changes from water to steam to rain to snow.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

I met Zogby—the head of the Arab American Institute and, at 80, a seasoned Arab activist—two years ago at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026

"There were a lot of good films in the competition", he says, including films by far more seasoned directors.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Filming a broadcast television show can leave even the most seasoned actors feeling like they’ve lost sense of time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

On the other hand, Griffin attempted to play a game that would be considered high stakes for a seasoned political comedian, and political comedy is not her brand.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2017

I’d heard it mentioned at lineup, a minor news item; for seasoned officers, this was a mun-dane occurrence.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

“Over the years, McDonald’s has tried multiple iterations for chicken and strips, opting for different seasoning, cuts and sauces, all with little success,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

At 60, Chandler is arguably more attractive than ever, with the sort of seasoning that served James Garner so well as Jim Rockford, TV’s greatest detective.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Authorities in Singapore have urged anyone who has bottles of the seasoning to dispose of them.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Red pepper flakes and everything bagel seasoning cover the remaining territory — heat, funk, nuttiness, crunch — in a few economical shakes.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

Papers were signed; the art of seasoning was revealed to Ralph, the key to crispiness.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Related Words

• fall
• period
• summer
• time
• winter