What is the etymology of the names of the four seasons What do they mark the rhythm of our daily life, the climatic and environmental variations? The names of the seasons, as well as those of the months, have ancient origins and reflect the perception of the civilizations that coined them: “spring“derives from the Sanskrit,”summer” And “fall“from Latin while the origin of”winter“It is probably Indo -European. The seasons represent the four main periods of the calendar year and from an astronomical point of view, are the intervals between equinox And solsticesdetermined by the position of the earth compared to the sun. The term “season” derives from the Latin “station“, what does it mean “stopover“, highlighting their periodic and recurring nature.
Origin of the names of the seasons
Spring
The season that goes from the spring equinox (around March 20) to the summer solstice (at the end of June) it is the period of the year in which nature wakes up, the days stretch and the light becomes more intense. His name comes from Latin “spring“, which literally means” beginning of spring “. In particular, the word”ver“It is attributable to the root Sanskrit “vas“, what does it mean “shine“or”illuminate“, And that it is perfectly connected with the idea of rebirth and light, of this period of the year.
In poetry and literature, it is generally associated with renewalat the youth and to the hopeand authors of all times have celebrated it as a metaphor for life And rebirth: It is used to speak of the “spring of life” to indicate youth, or, in history, it is used to say that an era of rebirth and change is “a spring”, evoking a cultural and social flowering time. “The spring of peoples”, the name with which the revolutionary motions of 1848 went down in history, is a perfect example.
Summer
The longest days, the sun tall until late, the temperatures that rise: summer is the season that goes from the summer solstice, about June 21, to the autumn equinox, around September 22nd. “Summer” comes from Latin “aestas“, which in turn derives from the Indo -European root”AIDH- “ or “ais- “what does it mean burning heat or time of the intense heat. In fact, summer is the period of the year in which the sun reaches its maximum splendor and warmth, a fundamental element for ancient agricultural societies. If spring is awakening and youth, summer is the moment when life reaches its maximum splendor and nature is in the midst of its strength: it is interesting to know that ancient civilizations celebrated the summer solstice with propitiatory rites related to the fertility and toabundance of crops. The Celts, for example, celebrated Lithawhile in Nordic cultures the “Midsummer“It is still a very heartfelt party today.
Fall
The third of the four seasons of the year goes fromautumn equinoxSeptember 23, at the winter solstice (late December). It is the period in which the days are shortened, the temperatures begin to drop and the nature, which is tinged to warm and golden colorsis preparing for rest.
The word “autumn” originates from Latin “auctumnus“, derived from the verb”aergere“, what does it mean “increase“or”enrich“, And indicates the season rich in fruit that increases the richness of the farmers. In fact, its etymology is linked to the period of crops, in which the earth offers its ripe fruits allowing you to provide for the winter.
Winter
The season that concludes the cycle and goes from the winter solstice to the spring equinox sees its roots in the Latin hibernumwhich means exactly “cold season” or “winter time”. The word that gives rise to everything is Hiemsof origin probably Indo -Europeanconnected to the root “ghei- “ or “Ghy- “ Which means “snowing” or “being cold”. From here also words such as hibernatewhich in Latin indicates the winter lethargy of some animals which, throughout the cold season, slow down the metabolism to survive low temperatures and the scarcity of food. An example are the bears, which enter a state of torpor called partial hibernation.
