summer

Where does the word "summer" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic sumaraz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Summer’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: sumaraz meant “summer.” Related to Sanskrit 'samā', year, season. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as sumor. The Anglo-Saxons divided the year into two halves, summer and winter. It reached English by 1500s as summer. 'Indian summer', a warm spell in autumn, is American, from the 1770s. Today, summer means the warmest season of the year.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient sumaraz "summer", related to Sanskrit 'samā', year, season.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s sumor "summer", the Anglo-Saxons divided the year into two halves, summer and winter.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s summer "summer", 'Indian summer', a warm spell in autumn, is American, from the 1770s.