fall, autumn
(noun) the season when the leaves fall from the trees; “in the fall of 1973”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
autumn (countable and uncountable, plural autumns)
Traditionally the third of the four seasons, when deciduous trees lose their leaves; typically regarded as being from September 24 to December 22 in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, and the months of March, April and May in the Southern Hemisphere.
(by extension) The time period when someone or something is past its prime.
(fashion) A person with relatively dark hair and a warm skin tone, seen as best suited to certain colours in clothing.
Note that season names are not capitalized in modern English unless at the beginning of a sentence, for example, I can't wait for spring to arrive. Exceptions occur when the season is personified, as in Old Man Winter, is used as part of a name, as in the Winter War, or is used as a given name, as in Summer Glau. This is in contrast to the days of the week and months of the year, which are always capitalized (Thursday or September).
• (season): (US, Canada) fall, (UK dialect) harvest, (UK dialect) back end.
• (time when past prime): decline.
autumn (not comparable)
Of or relating to autumn; autumnal
Autumn
A female given name from English of modern usage, from the name of the season.
Source: Wiktionary
Au"tumn, n. Etym: [L. auctumnus, autumnus, perh. fr. a root av to satisfy one's self: cf. F. automne. See Avarice.]
1. The third season of the year, or the season between summer and winter, often called "the fall." Astronomically, it begins in the northern temperate zone at the autumnal equinox, about September 23, and ends at the winter solstice, about December 23; but in popular language, autumn, in America, comprises September, October, and November.
Note: In England, according to Johnson, autumn popularly comprises August, September, and October. In the southern hemisphere, the autumn corresponds to our spring.
2. The harvest or fruits of autumn. Milton.
3. The time of maturity or decline; latter portion; third stage. Dr. Preston was now entering into the autumn of the duke's favor. Fuller. Life's autumn past, I stand on winter's verge. Wordsworth.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 December 2024
(noun) Australian tree having hard white timber and glossy green leaves with white flowers followed by one-seeded glossy blue fruit
Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.
