Vernal

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈvɜːnÉ™l/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)nÉ™l

Alternative forms

• vernall archaic, 16th–17th-century spelling

Origin

Entering English in the sense of “pertaining to spring” in 1534

“vernal” listed in the Online Etymology Dictionary, © November 2001 Douglas Harper

From Latin vernālis ("of those things pertaining to the spring")

“vernal” listed in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

“vernal” listed by Dictionary.com Unabridged (v1·1)

, from vernus ("of spring")

, from vēr ("spring")

“vernal” listed in ''The American Heritage

®

Dictionary of the English Language'', Fourth Edition

compare Old French vernal, French vernal.

Full definition of vernal

Adjective

1. Pertaining to spring.
2. Young; fresh.
3. Belonging to youth.
• Thomsonwhen after the long vernal day of life
• KebleAnd seems it hard thy vernal years
  Few vernal joys can show?

Usage notes

In everyday speech, used almost exclusively in phrase vernal equinox; in other contexts, spring is used attributively, as in spring colors or spring flowers, and even vernal equinox is frequently replaced with spring equinox.

Antonyms

• autumnal

Coordinate terms

• (pertaining to seasons) summer (summery), aestival/estival; winter (wintry), hibernal, brumal

Derived terms

Related terms

Anagrams

• verlan