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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

season

[ˈsiː.zn̩]
Each of the divisions of a year based on the prevailing weather: spring, summer, autumn (fall) and winter; or the rainy (monsoon) and dry season, depending on the climate.

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    • derived
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    • meaning component
    • sound component
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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English sesoun, seson (“time of the year”), from Old French seson, saison (“time of sowing, seeding”), from Latin satiō (“act of sowing, planting”) from satum, past participle of serō (“to sow, plant”) from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- (“to sow, plant”). Akin to Old English sāwan (“to sow”), sǣd (“seed”). Doublet of saison. Displaced native Middle English sele (“season”) (from Old English sǣl (“season, time, occasion”)), Middle English tide (“season, time of year”) (from Old English tīd (“time, period, yeartide, season”)).

    Etymology 2

    Borrowed from French assaisonner.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • borrowedFrenchassaisonner
      • partFrencha-
        • inheritedOld Frencha-
          • inheritedLatinad- “towards”
          • derivedLatinad- “towards”
      • partFrenchsaison “season”
        • inheritedOld Frenchsaison
          • inheritedLatinsatiō “act of sowing, planting”
            • partLatinserō “to sow”
              • inheritedProto-Italic*sizō
            • partLatin-tiō “-tion”
              • inheritedProto-Italic*-tiō
                • derivedProto-Indo-European*-tiHō
                • derivedProto-Indo-European*-tis
              • derivedProto-Italic*-tiō
      • partFrench-er
        • inheritedMiddle French-er
          • inheritedOld French-ier “-er”
    • rootProto-Indo-European*seh₁- “to sow, plant”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishsesoun “time of the year”
      • derivedOld Frenchseson “time of sowing, seeding”

    Related: English saison (doublet), Old English sāwan, Middle English sele, Old English sǣl, Middle English tide, Old English tīd

    Words built on it: off-season

    Meanings

    noun
    1. Each of the divisions of a year based on the prevailing weather: spring, summer, autumn (fall) and winter; or the rainy (monsoon) and dry season, depending on the climate.
    2. A period of the year when something particular happens.
    3. A period of the year in which a place is most busy or frequented for business, amusement, etc.
    4. A year, but with emphasis on the most important part of the year in context, such as the months when plants or animals grow and reproduce.
    5. The period over which a series of Test matches are played.
    6. That which gives relish; seasoning.
    verb
    1. To habituate, accustom, or inure (someone or something) to a particular use, purpose, or circumstance.
    2. To prepare by drying or hardening, or removal of natural juices.
    3. To become mature; to grow fit for use; to become adapted to a climate.
    4. To become dry and hard, by the escape of the natural juices, or by being penetrated with other substance.
    5. To mingle: to moderate, temper, or qualify by admixture.
    6. To impregnate (literally or figuratively).

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: season