vernal

adjective

ver·nal ˈvər-nᵊl

: of, relating to, or occurring in the spring

vernal equinox

vernal sunshine

: fresh or new like the spring

also : youthful

vernally

ˈvər-nᵊl-ē

adverb

Did you know?

If you want to sound sophisticated this spring, you can do what various learned individuals have done since the 16th century and refer to the spring equinox as the vernal equinox. You might also alter a classic rhyme to chant "Vernal showers bring May flowers." Or if you really want to wax poetic, you could compliment your lass's vernal grace or your beau's vernal charm. If you do, and your sweetheart asks where such a word comes from, you can further impress by saying, "'Vernal,' my dear, comes from the Latin 'vernalis,' which is derived from the Latin word for spring, 'ver.'"

Example Sentences

trees and flowers in vernal bloom

Recent Examples on the Web In the meantime, at a separate $97-million acquisition in progress about 70 miles to the south, the Trust aims to transform 384 acres of environmentally distressed scarps, vernal pools and mesas at the Banning Ranch oil field into a nature preserve.

Louis Sahagúnstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2022 The spring, or vernal, equinox happens around March 20 or 21 and, like the autumnal equinox, is when the day and night are of equal length.

USA Today, 18 Sep. 2021 This heightened displays coincided with the spring or vernal equinox, which occurred at 09:37 Universal Time on Saturday, 20 March, 2021.

Jamie Carter, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2021 For countries south of the equator, the moment is known as the vernal or spring equinox, marking the beginning of spring.

Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2022 It’s no mere coincidence: Turquoise is a feel-good shade–and one that historically has been associated with soothing and tranquil energy fitting for the vernal season.

Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2022 The same phenomenon will take place again next year to mark the spring, or vernal, equinox on March 20, 2023.

Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2022 One occurs in September and is known as the autumnal equinox for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, while the one that happens in the spring is known as the vernal equinox.

Rebekah Lowin, Country Living, 20 Sep. 2022 The Easter Bunny therefore seems to recall these pre-Christian celebrations of spring, heralded by the vernal equinox and personified by the Goddess Eostre.

Tok Thompson, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vernal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin vernālis, from vernus "of spring" (going back to pre-Latin *u̯esri-no-, adjective derivative from the base of Latin vēr "spring") + -ālis -al entry 1; vēr "spring," going back to Indo-European *u̯ḗs-r̥-, *u̯es-n̥-s, whence also Old Norse vár "spring," Old Frisian wars, wērs, Welsh gwanwyn (Old Welsh guiannuin, from British Celtic *u̯esantēno-), Middle Irish errach (probably from *u̯esrāko-, with generalization of the lenited initial consonant), Old Church Slavic vesna, Russian vesná, Lithuanian vãsara "summer," Greek éar "spring" (from *u̯ehar, from *u̯esr̥), Armenian garun (gar- from *gehar-, from *u̯esr̥- + a suffix), Sanskrit vasantá-, Avestan vaŋri (locative) "in the spring"