seasonal
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Commonly Confused
Seasonal and seasonable are sometimes interchanged, probably because of their obvious connection with season. In edited prose and in formal speech these two adjectives are almost always distinguished. Seasonal describes phenomena that occur with or depend upon a season or the seasons: seasonal fluctuations in rainfall; seasonal sales. Seasonable in reference to weather means “suitable to or characteristic of the season”: a seasonable December; seasonable temperatures for July. Seasonable also has the sense “timely, opportune”: a seasonable offer of financial assistance.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of seasonal
Explanation
Seasonal things happen periodically, during a certain season. In most stores, Christmas decorations and candy canes are seasonal items. You'll probably find all kinds of fruit all year long in a large grocery store, but your local farmer's market most likely carries mainly seasonal fruit. This means they'll have apples in the fall, when they're in season, and strawberries in the spring. Workers are sometimes described as seasonal too — when they're employed just for the summer, for example: "The cafe hired lots of seasonal baristas in June."
Vocabulary lists containing seasonal
Weather and Climate - Introductory
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Weather and Climate - Middle School
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Earth Science - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Originally from Nice, the classic salade Niçoise has just a handful of local ingredients, including tomatoes, anchovies and seasonal greens.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
"Advanced seasonal forecasts and early warnings are vital to save lives and cushion the impact on our economies and our communities," said Saulo.
From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026
Way back on June 10, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that over the preceding 12 months, the consumer-price index had increased 4.1%, excluding seasonal adjustments.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
Millions of farmers rely on seasonal monsoon rains to sow their crops and a shortfall or delay significantly affects their output.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
I was nearing the end of a brief seasonal job when I noticed that my favorite town house had been put up for sale.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
