Warm up your Vocabulary: Autumn Words

It’s that time of year when the weather gets colder and the leaves start changing color on the trees. So how can we describe all the things we see and feel during this time of year? And what words tend to only come up during this season? When learning English, its fun to explore some of the words that are specific to a certain season or climate. Take a look at some of our favorites and see how many you might recognize.

Autumnal

This word is used to describe something characteristic of autumn or that takes place during the autumn season.

Chestnut

A hard, edible nut that is usually roasted and eaten during the autumn and winter seasons. Nothing warms you up quite like roasted chestnuts and a hot cocoa.

Chilly

A mildly cold temperature that causes you to shiver. This is the sort of weather that causes people to dress in scarves and coats.

Cornucopia

This a traditional Thanksgiving table dressing. A cornucopia is a large horn that contains decorative food, flowers, and other seasonal ornaments.

Cozy

This is used to describe something that is snuggly, warm, and comfortable. Although the weather might not be cozy, the clothes you wear to stay warm can be.

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Deciduous

This term refers to the annual falling of the leaves. If a tree is “deciduous,” then it sheds its leaves at the same time every autumn.

Fireplace

The part of a chimney that opens into a room where a fire can be built. This is a traditional way of warming a room and a great place to get cozy on a cold autumn day.

Foliage

A term used to describe leaves, flowers, and branches. If you were talking about a specific tree’s “foliage,” you wouldn’t have to mention all the individual parts because they are included in the word’s meaning.

Harvest

The harvest is the season when the ripened crops are picked. Once the weather grows colder, it is more difficult for certain crops to grow, so autumn is typically the season when the harvest is collected.

Hayride

This activity is very popular during the autumn season, in which people are able to ride in an open wagon through a hayfield. Hayrides are usually done at pumpkin patches or on farms.

Pumpkin

Probably the most popular flavor of the autumn season, pumpkins are large orange fruits that are usually carved for Halloween. Nowadays, you can get almost anything with a pumpkin-spiced flavour.

Scarecrow

The figure of a person dressed in old clothes set up to frighten crows or birds away from crops. They are usually made out of hay and are not usually very frightening.

Scarf

A long, broad strip of fabric warn around the neck to protect you against the cold weather.

So how well do you know these seasonal terms now? Practice and before you know it you'll be using them in your daily conversations. Have any other favorite autumnal terms that we missed?