VERNAL

vernal

(adjective) of or characteristic of or occurring in spring; “the vernal equinox”

youthful, vernal, young

(adjective) suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh; “he is young for his age”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Proper noun

Vernal

A city, the county seat of Uintah County, Utah, United States.

Anagrams

• Lavern, nerval, verlan

Etymology

Adjective

vernal (comparative more vernal, superlative most vernal) (formal, literary)

Pertaining to or occurring in spring. [from mid 16th c.]

Synonyms: springlike, spring-like, springly (rare)

(figuratively) Having characteristics like spring; fresh, young, youthful.

Usage notes

Vernal is used mostly in technical contexts (as in e.g. vernal equinox) or poetic contexts. In everyday language, attributive use of spring predominates, as in spring colors, spring flowers, spring equinox.

Coordinate terms

• (pertaining to seasons): summer: aestival/estival, summery · autumn or fall: autumnal · winter: brumal, hibernal, wintry

Anagrams

• Lavern, nerval, verlan

Source: Wiktionary

Ver"nal, a. Etym: [L. vernalis, fr. vernus vernal, ver spring; akin to Gr. vasanta, Icel. var, and E. Easter, east.]

1. Of or pertaining to the spring; appearing in the spring; as, vernal bloom.

2. Fig.: Belonging to youth, the spring of life. When after the long vernal day of life. Thomson. And seems it hard thy vernal years Few vernal joys can show Keble.

Vernal equinox (Astron.), the time when the sun crosses the equator when proceeding northward.

– Vernal grass (Bot.), a low, soft grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), producing in the spring narrow spikelike panicles, and noted for the delicious fragrance which it gives to new-mown hay; -- also called sweet vernal grass. See Illust. in Appendix.

– Vernal signs (Astron.), the signs, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, in which the sun appears between the vernal equinox and summer solstice.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition