Etymology

From Old English sesoun, French saison, (meaning properly, the sowing time), from Latin satio (meaning a sowing, a planting), from serere, satum, (to sow, plant); akin to English sow, (meaning to scatter, as seed).

Noun

1. Each of the four divisions of a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
2. A part of a year when something particular happens: mating season, rainy season, football season.
3. That which gives relish.

   You lack the season of all natures, sleep. Shakespeare

4. the period over which a series of test matches are played
5. A group of episodes of a television or radio program broadcast in regular intervals with a long break between each group, usually with one year between the beginning of each.

   The third season of Friends aired from 1996 to 1997.

Usage notes

In British English, a year-long group of episodes is called a series, whereas in North American English the word "series" is a synonym of "program" or "show".

Related terms

• in season
• out of season
• seasonal
• seasonally

• unseasonally
• seasonable
• unseasonable
• unseasonably

Verb

1. To flavour food with spices, herbs or salt.
2. To make fit for any use by time or habit; to habituate; to accustom; to inure; to ripen; to mature; as, to season one to a climate.
3. Hence, to prepare by drying or hardening, or removal of natural juices; as, to season timber.
4. To become mature; to grow fit for use; to become adapted to a climate.
5. To become dry and hard, by the escape of the natural juices, or by being penetrated with other substance; as, timber seasons in the sun.