Autumnal
adjective /ɔːˈtʌm.nəl/ — Of, relating to, or characteristic of autumn
Definition
Relating to autumn — or having the qualities associated with autumn: decline, ripeness, a particular golden melancholy, the knowledge of coming cold.
Beyond the definition
Not just a season but a feeling. To be autumnal is to be in a phase of beautiful decline — fullest just before the end.
Origin & history
From Latin 'autumnalis' — from 'autumnus' (autumn). The season of harvest and decline, from an Etruscan root via Latin.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The light had an autumnal quality even in August — a shift in angle that announced the change was coming.
There is something autumnal about middle age: the ripeness and the knowledge that it won't last.
She decorated in autumnal colours — ochre, umber, deep red — because that palette made her feel complete.
Synonyms
autumnal, harvest, golden, mellowing, declining
Antonyms
vernal, spring-like
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Illustrative example
Colourful Autumn Leaves on Lawn
Colourful autumn leaves blanket a lawn, signifying the transition to decline and the ripeness of the season.
Autumnal relates to the qualities of autumn, such as decline and ripeness. The blanket of fallen leaves on the lawn is a direct visual representation of this: it captures the beauty and the melancholy of the season's change, embodying the knowledge of the cold that is arriving as the year turns.
Image credit: Jules Verne Times Two · CC BY-SA 4.0 (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with a fitted crop.