Use autumn or fall for the season between summer and winter, and words such as foliage, harvest and chilly to describe what you notice. Autumn is the usual British English term; fall is common in American English, where autumn is also used. The adjective autumnal means relating to autumn.
The examples below describe conditions and activities associated with some temperate regions. Weather, plants and traditions vary by location. Describe the place you know rather than assuming that autumn means colourful leaves or cold weather everywhere.
Twenty useful autumn words and phrases
| Word or phrase | Meaning in this context | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn / fall | The season between summer and winter | “The park is quieter in autumn.” |
| Leaf / leaves | A usually flat part of a plant; leaves is the plural | “A red leaf landed on the path.” |
| Foliage | The leaves of a plant or plants, considered together | “We photographed the colourful foliage.” |
| Crisp | Pleasantly cool and fresh when describing air or weather | “We went for a walk in the crisp morning air.” |
| Chilly | Uncomfortably or noticeably cool | “It is chilly outside; I will take a jacket.” |
| Bare | Without the usual covering; a bare tree has no leaves | “The branches looked bare after the leaves fell.” |
| Vibrant | Bright and strong when describing colour | “The leaves were vibrant shades of orange.” |
| Hue | A colour or shade of a colour | “The hills had a golden hue in the evening light.” |
| Harvest | The gathering of crops, or the crops gathered | “The farmers are preparing for the harvest.” |
| Orchard | An area where fruit trees grow | “They picked apples in the orchard.” |
| Pumpkin patch | A place where pumpkins are grown | “We visited a pumpkin patch at the farm.” |
| Pumpkin spice | A spice mixture associated with pumpkin dishes and seasonal drinks | “The menu includes a pumpkin-spice drink.” |
| Squash | A type of vegetable, with varieties such as butternut squash | “We made soup with roasted squash.” |
| Cider | An apple drink whose usual meaning varies regionally; see below | “Is this cider alcoholic or non-alcoholic?” |
| Roast | Cook food using dry heat, often in an oven | “Roast the vegetables for dinner.” |
| Rake | A tool for gathering leaves; also the action of using it | “We raked the fallen leaves into a pile.” |
| Overcast | Covered with clouds, when describing the sky | “The sky was overcast all afternoon.” |
| Drizzle | Light rain with very small drops | “A little drizzle began during our walk.” |
| Fog | A cloud of tiny water droplets near the ground that limits visibility | “Fog hid the far side of the field.” |
| Frost | A layer of ice crystals on a surface | “There was frost on the grass this morning.” |
Usage: Say “a leaf” or “several leaves.” Foliage is normally uncountable: “some foliage,” rather than “a foliage.” Crisp air often suggests freshness, while chilly can suggest that someone feels cold.
Cider, seasonal food and local traditions
In British English, cider usually means an alcoholic apple drink. In American English, apple cider can mean a non-alcoholic apple drink, while hard cider refers to the alcoholic version. Read the label or ask what a speaker means when the distinction matters.
Pumpkin spice usually names a mixture of spices rather than pumpkin itself; an individual product may also contain pumpkin. Maple syrup can flavour autumn foods, but that does not make autumn its usual production season. In Vermont, producers collect maple sap during the spring freeze-and-thaw season and concentrate it into syrup.
Some farms offer a corn maze, with paths through a cornfield, or a hayride, a recreational wagon ride often using hay as seating. A bonfire is a large outdoor fire. These are examples of local activities, not traditions shared by everyone. Likewise, Halloween and Thanksgiving have particular cultural contexts rather than defining autumn worldwide.
Does autumn start at the equinox?
An equinox is one of the two times each year when day and night are approximately equal in length. In the UK’s astronomical definition, autumn starts at the September equinox. The meteorological definition uses September, October and November. These are different systems; seasonal calendars also depend on which hemisphere and region you are discussing.
Idioms containing autumn-related words
These expressions work throughout the year. Their figurative meanings do not describe autumn weather:
- Turn over a new leaf: begin behaving differently, usually in a better way. “I have turned over a new leaf and now prepare for class.”
- Fall into place: become clear or work together as expected. “After the final explanation, everything fell into place.”
- Rake in: earn or receive a large amount, often money. “The popular event raked in a lot of money.” Compare this with the literal action “rake the leaves.”
- The golden years: a person’s later years, often referring to retirement. The expression does not simply mean any pleasant time or a season with golden leaves.
Six-question autumn vocabulary check
- Choose the plural: “The path is covered with ___.” (leaf / leaves)
- Which normally works: some foliage or a foliage?
- Which word means light rain: drizzle or frost?
- In American English, what does hard cider tell you about the drink?
- Does “everything fell into place” mean that leaves dropped to the ground?
- Is the September equinox the start of autumn under every seasonal definition?
Check your answers and explanations
- Leaves. This is the plural of leaf.
- Some foliage. Foliage is normally an uncountable noun.
- Drizzle. Frost is ice on a surface, not rain.
- It is alcoholic. This distinguishes it from the non-alcoholic meaning of apple cider.
- No. The idiom means that things became clear or fitted together successfully.
- No. The UK’s astronomical definition uses the equinox; its meteorological definition starts on 1 September. Other regions and hemispheres need their own context.
Describe a place you know in three sentences. Include one weather word, one noun and one activity. For example: “The sky was overcast. Leaves covered the path, so we raked them into a pile.” You can describe different conditions if your local autumn is warm or dry.
Continue with summer vocabulary and practice, words for urban and rural places, or the vocabulary lesson directory.
